Our Once Upon a Time
by V. Shalyr
Summary: Growing up as a full demon in Shin Makoku didn't exactly make the path to becoming the Maoh any simpler for Yuuri Shibuya, but the journey sure could be sweet. YuuRam, shounan ai
1. Someday

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Kyo Kara Maoh.

**Pairings**: Yuuri x Wolfram

**Warnings: This is an AU or Alternate Universe. Also, this story will eventually contain shounan ai (boy/boy pairings), you have been warned. **

**Author****'****s****Note**: I saw these really cute YuuRam pictures and just had to write something. ^_^ Also, Yuuri and his family are all full Mazoku in this story (mostly because I need the characters to age at around the same rate). Now, on to the main event.

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><p><strong>Our Once Upon a Time<strong>

**By V. Shalyr **

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><p><strong>1. Someday<strong>

"Mother?"

Lady Cecilie von Spitzweig paused in her conversation and glanced over at where a little golden-haired head was poking cautiously through her study door. Falling silent, her guests followed her gaze and the child shifted nervously under their combined scrutiny.

"What is it, Wolfie?" Celi asked gently.

Emerald green eyes glanced uncertainly from her to her visitors and back again. "Little Big Brother isn't here and Big Brother is already asleep, so I was wondering if you could read me a story?"

It was hard to sleep without someone there with him. And he liked bedtime stories. Conrad always read them to him when he was home, only that was less and less lately with the battles going on along the borderlands. Wolfram knew his brother was an excellent soldier and he felt proud whenever people praised Conrad's swordsmanship, but that didn't stop him from wishing that it didn't mean they had to spend less time together.

"I'm sorry, dear, but Mother's busy right now. Why don't you ask one of the maids?"

The child's eyes flickered for a moment but he nodded mutely and shut the door as softly as he could. He stood for a moment in the hallway listening as the conversation within resumed then sighed and trudged back towards his room, the hem of his slightly oversized nightgown dragging along the floor. He didn't want one of the maids to read to him. It wasn't the same.

With another little sigh, he closed the door to his room and climbed up onto the bed that really seemed a bit too big for him too. Find then, if no one had the time to read a story to him, he'd read it to himself. He might not recognize all the characters or be able to read all the words, but he'd manage. He'd make it work somehow… Maybe if he picked one of the stories he'd already heard before.

By the time Lady Celi finally got out of the meeting, she was exhausted. Stretching her sore muscles, she covered a yawn with one delicate hand and made her way slowly from her study. She was definitely looking forward to when she could resign from the throne. As a matter of fact, she'd heard from the temple that the next Maoh had already been chosen. He was currently still too young to take the position, but once he came of age she would be free to kick back and finally relax.

She paused halfway down the corridor, a sudden pang of guilt shooting through her when she remembered a certain little blond angel she'd had to turn away earlier that evening. It really was a shame that Conrad was away. He'd practically raised the child with how busy she was all the time.

"Wolfie?" she asked quietly, opening the door to her youngest son's room. The light was still on but no answer came. Glancing around, she spotted the child curled up against the headboard of his bed with his head on an open storybook. He was already sound asleep.

Approaching the bed, Celi smiled fondly, carefully easing the book away and setting it on the nightstand. Wolfram really was growing up to look just like her, she mused, tucking a strand of golden hair behind his ear. And Conrad and Gwendal wondered why she liked to dress their baby brother in the kinds of clothes she used to wear. It wasn't _her_ fault that she forgot half the time that she had a son and not a daughter, it felt so much like looking at a mirror of herself.

Oh, her Wolfie was going to be so beautiful and she could only imagine how many suitors were going to be after him. Her lips curled in amusement at the thought of how Conrad and Gwendal would react when that time came. Her eldest son had far too many wrinkles for his age as it was.

As if sensing her gaze, Wolfram shifted a bit in his sleep and mumbled something, his tiny hands clutching tighter to the pillow he'd been curled up against.

The guilt returned and Celi reached out to pull the covers up around his shoulders. Nights at this time could get rather cold even indoors.

"Someday, you'll find someone who will always be with you, your own handsome prince"—well, _she_rather thought it would be a man—"who will sweep you off your feet and you'll marry and spend the rest of your lives together. I promise." She leaned down to press a soft kiss to her youngest son's forehead. "It'll be your own little fairytale."

"Mother?" Waking up a bit more, emerald eyes fluttered open to regard her drowsily. "They're gone?"

"Yes, they're gone." For now, but she didn't feel like telling him that they would probably be back tomorrow. And if not, then probably a different noble. Sovereigns didn't really have vacations, especially when battles were being fought on their lands. Maybe if they lived in more peaceful times, things could be different.

"…What's a fairytale?"

Celi laughed. So he'd heard her. "Well, a fairytale can be a lot of things, love and romance and magic. It's not always easy, but I like the ones with happy endings."

Little Wolfram pondered this reply for a moment before nodding slowly and closing his eyes again. It didn't make any sense to him, but maybe it was one of those things people were always telling him that he'd understand when he was older.

Though someone who would be with him forever, he'd like that.

.

"So what kind of king do you want to be?"

Yuuri fidgeted in front of the mirror, peering up at his mother while she fixed his black suit jacket. "But, Mother, what if I don't want to be the king? I don't know anything about being a king."

"It's Mama, dear, and don't worry about it. I'm sure you'll be a wonderful king, and you have plenty of time to learn before anyone will expect you to do anything. After all, you're still so young. Oh, I can't believe my little boy is going to be the next Maoh!"

Looking back at his reflection, Yuuri sighed. His mother was off in her own little world again. Sometimes, it felt like his father was the only person in the family that ever really listened to him.

"Now, I know I don't need to remind you but I feel it's my duty as your mother. Remember to be polite to our guests. They're all curious to see who the Original King has chosen for our next ruler."

Yuuri didn't need her to remind him. He'd been not looking forward to it ever since the dinner party had been announced.

The guests had already started to arrive by the time his mother decided he was ready. From a gap in the railing of the main staircase, Yuuri watched his father greet each newcomer with his grim-faced elder son at his side. Shori hadn't been happy to hear about Yuuri's appointment either, but he'd been somewhat mollified by the fact that he wouldn't have to start any of his duties until he came of age, which was still a good thirty to forty years away.

"What are you waiting for, dear?" A hand landed on his shoulder and his mother was suddenly standing behind him, practically glowing in a flowing, cream colored dress. "Let's go down and greet our visitors. You know the current Maoh is going to be here and she's bringing one of her sons. I hear he's just the cutest thing ever! I can't wait to see him."

Yuuri felt privately sorry for the other boy whoever he was. His mother had that dreamy gleam in her eyes that always spelled trouble, usually in the form of extreme embarrassment. Still, it was nice to know that he wasn't going to be the only child at this party. Feeling a bit more comfortable with this thought, he straightened his shoulders and started after his mother down the stairs and into the bustling banquet hall.

.

Wolfram pouted stubbornly at his shoes from his mother's side as she laughed and teased their host. He didn't want to be there. Conrad was supposed to return home that night and he'd wanted to be there to greet him, but his mother had insisted and Lady Celi was nothing if not good at getting her way. Maybe that was why she was the queen.

"Oh, he's so _adorable_!"

Wolfram started at the sudden, excited squeal and spun around to find a brown-haired woman bearing down on him. Before he could react, he'd been swept up into the woman's arms and she was squeezing all the air from his lungs in a bone-breaking hug.

"Celi, you should have sent me pictures! What's his name?"

"It's Wolfram," his mother replied happily. 'It's been such a long time, Jennifer. How are you? Do you still go by Jennifer?"

"Of course. Shibuya Miko is just so boring."

Wolfram squirmed as the two women continued to converse. He really wanted to be put down but his mother had strictly instructed him to be polite. After all, this was the next Maoh's family. Their son was going to be his king someday.

Though looking up at this crazy woman who rather reminded him of his own mother and her husband who was smiling sheepishly at the entire scene, Wolfram couldn't imagine what kind of king he was going to be.

Eventually, the grown-ups migrated into the dining hall where Wolfram was placed on a chair between the two women who had taken seats at one of the many small, round tables scattered throughout the room. Almost immediately, other guests began to gather around them, some to greet the current Demon Queen and the mother of the future king, and others to coo over the little prince. Wolfram batted at a hand that patted him on the head only to earn a warning look from his mother and sink lower in his chair to sulk. When food was finally set before him, he only picked at it. He'd quite lost his appetite some time ago.

Wolfram almost jumped when someone touched him lightly on the shoulder. Jerking around and almost falling out of his chair, he found himself face to face with a boy around his age with jet black hair and eyes the color of midnight. He'd never seen eyes that black before and he found them oddly mesmerizing.

"Do you want to go outside?"

Glancing back at the adults, Wolfram hesitated then nodded. The black-haired boy smiled and took his hand, pulling him off the chair and towards a door that led out into the gardens.

.

Yuuri had only just gotten out of his own knot of fawning grown-ups with the help of his father and older brother when he'd spotted the other child trapped between the two mothers. He knew firsthand how overwhelming his own mother could be and, judging by the way the current Maoh had all but smothered him upon arrival, she was probably different but not much better. He could see the desperation building behind those pretty green eyes and decided to do something about it.

The night air was cool despite it being summer when they made their way out into the gardens. Yuuri inhaled deeply, enjoying the fresh scent before turning to examine the boy at his side. Now that he was able to get a good look at him, he thought he looked a lot like an angel, albeit a small one with a faintly unhappy expression clouding his face.

"Are you feeling better?" Yuuri asked, uncomfortable with the silence and hoping he could get the other boy to smile. He didn't like it when other people were upset. "You looked really uncomfortable. You're name's Wolfram, right?"

Startled, Wolfram nodded, trying to remember if he'd seen the black-haired boy before. "How did you know?"

Yuuri laughed, rubbing sheepishly at the back of his head. "I heard your mother introducing you to mine. I guess you didn't see me."

Because he'd been too busy glaring at the toes of his boots.

"Your mother?" Wolfram repeated then tilted his head slightly to one side to study his new companion more closely. He didn't look anything like Shibuya Miko, but all the same, that had to mean, "You're Shibuya Yuuri?"

Yuuri nodded.

"You're going to be the next Maoh when mother resigns," Wolfram continued, thinking aloud.

"Oh, well, um, I'm not sure I want to be the next Maoh," Yuuri admitted, looking away. It still made him feel uncomfortable whenever people brought it up. "I mean, I don't know if I can do it."

To his slight surprise, Wolfram crossed his arms and scoffed at this. "Don't be such a wimp. You haven't done it yet. How do you know you can't do it if you haven't tried?"

Yuuri was momentarily taken aback by the smaller boy's vehemence but eventually found himself smiling, warmed for some reason by the other's fervor. "I suppose you're right. Thanks, I'll keep it in mind."

It was Wolfram's turn to pause. "Y—you're welcome."

"Wolfram," Yuuri said suddenly, expression thoughtful, "isn't that the name of a flower?"

When Wolfram nodded, Yuuri grinned and took his hand, starting excitedly down the garden path. "I wonder if we have it here. Let's go see."

.

Celi had watched the two boys leave the hall out of the corner of her eyes, hiding her smile. She honestly hoped the pair would get along. Her dear Wolfie didn't have any friends his own age and had never had the chance before to make any. Sometimes, she worried about how this could affect him. When he did meet other children, they often ended up fighting. Wolfram wasn't the easiest child to get along with, and being the son of the Maoh probably didn't help. Maybe that was why he was always following his older brothers around, always trying to be more like them and win their approval. Not that it wasn't normal for someone to want the approval of people they admired, but really, there was so much more to life!

Bringing him here had definitely been the right decision no matter how much it had upset her youngest son. In any case, Conrad would still be there when they got home.

"That's odd…"

"Hmm?" Returning her attention to her table companion who was glancing curiously about the dining hall, Celi smiled. "Oh, the boys? They went to the gardens."

Jennifer's brow furrowed. "Should we send someone to get them?"

"I'm sure they can take care of themselves."

"I know. It's just that it's supposed to rain tonight."

Rain, huh? She knew Wolfram didn't like the rain, not surprising all considered he was a fire Mazoku. And being a rather young one, she supposed there could be problems. But still…

"They'll be fine. And if they're not back soon, we can send someone to go look for them. It's time that they start looking out for themselves."

.

Wolfram sneezed.

They'd been wandering through the gardens talking about their older brothers and the academy they would apparently both be attending in another decade or so when it had begun to drizzle. Wolfram had stubbornly ignored it at first, but then the drizzle had become more of a mini downpour and it became a lot harder to pretend he wasn't affected.

The rain had never bothered Yuuri. In fact, he quite liked it most of the time, but he noticed that his companion was shivering and hugging himself as if to shield himself from the water that nevertheless soaked rapidly through his clothes. "Are you okay?"

"I hate the rain," Wolfram admitted, pouting. "It's too cold."

He looked so pale—even paler than he already was—that Yuuri worried he was going to get sick. Putting his hands on the smaller boy's shoulders, he steered him into the shelter of a tree and pulled him into his arms. Wolfram went stiff for a moment then gradually relaxed as heat seeped through him from the body pressed against his own. The deluge continued around them but the thick foliage above kept most of it at bay and the watery curtain made it feel almost like they were standing in another world.

Maybe the rain wasn't so bad, as long as he wasn't alone in it.

"Thanks."

Yuuri shifted a little, unsure whether or not he should let go now. But the warmth was too comfortable for him to let go of it just yet.

"Hey, Yuuri," Wolfram said suddenly, "if you're going to be the king, then that means you're a prince, right?"

"Well, I suppose so. And so are you, since your mother is the queen right now."

"But I won't be once she's not the Maoh anymore."

Yuuri cocked his head at this, wondering where this was going.

"I'm going to be the best soldier ever, even better than my big brothers," Wolfram mused, seeming to change topic again completely. "Then I can help you when you take over after Mother and make sure you're the best Maoh in history."

"Yeah?"

"Because you're going to ask me to marry you someday."

"Huh?" Yuuri blinked down at the blond angel in his arms. "I am?"

The other child nodded sagely. "My mother said so."

Okay, now Yuuri was seriously having trouble following the other's train of thought. Married? They were way, way too young to be thinking about _that_. Besides, you were supposed to marry someone you loved. He liked Wolfram, but they'd really only just met. It wasn't the same thing.

Pulling away a little, Yuuri opened his mouth to explain this to Wolfram, but the words never made it into the air between them. Because Wolfram had turned around in his arms and smiled at him, a bright and happy smile that lit his entire face and made his green eyes sparkle. And Yuuri found himself thinking that maybe getting married wouldn't be such a bad idea at all.

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><p><strong>TBC… <strong>

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><p><strong>.<br>**


	2. Begun in Fire

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Kyo Kara Maoh.

**Summary**: Life isn't always a fairytale and we don't always get to happily ever after, but that's no reason not to try. Because when all is said and done, we make our own happy endings. YuuRam, AU

**Pairings**: Yuuri x Wolfram

**Warnings: This is an AU or Alternate Universe. Also, this story will contain shounan ai (boy/boy pairings), you have been warned. **

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><p><strong>Our Once Upon a Time<strong>

**By V. Shalyr **

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><p><strong>2. Begun in Fire<strong>

"Your Highness."

Yuuri paused in his conversation to look up at the teacher who was giving him a pained and apologetic look. "What is it, Günter?"

The silver-haired man coughed, casting an annoyed look back at the ladder leading down into the ship's interior. "Lord von Bielefeld has locked himself in the bathroom and refuses to come out. My most heartfelt apologies for having to ask this of you, but could you please see if you can do something about him?"

Ah, so that's why Wolfram had been gone for so long. Excusing himself from the group of other students he'd been sitting with, Yuuri got to his feet and made his way towards the ladder. Behind him, he could hear the whispers starting but he ignored them. After nearly five years at the academy, he was used to this reaction whenever the topics of Wolfram and him came up in the same sentence. Considering how their first week at the school had gone, Yuuri couldn't really blame them even if he thought they were all being a bit too nosy.

Ever since they'd first been introduced to one another, their parents had been dropping them off with one another's families with great frequency. Or actually, usually it was Wolfram being dropped off with the Shibuyas sometimes for entire weeks at a time when his mother had business and his brothers were away. For once, the blonde hadn't complained. He'd finally found someone else to keep him company.

He followed Yuuri everywhere and, really, Yuuri had found that he hadn't minded at all. It was nice to have someone around his own age to play with. And even though Wolfram could be bratty at times, Yuuri had found that he could be quite sweet underneath all that. The only thing he really wanted from the raven-haired boy was his attention, and as long as he was assured that he had that, he was happy and did whatever Yuuri wanted. They did everything together, learned to ride horses under Conrad's watchful eye, took lessons from Shori together in the small library in the Shibuya mansion, went fishing at the river with Shibuya Shouma, and experimented in the kitchens with Jennifer. Becoming best friends had been almost surprisingly easy.

So it was no surprise—to Yuuri at least—that he and Wolfram arrived at the Academy _together_.

Though it _was _a surprise when the silver-haired teacher who had come to greet the heir to the throne latched onto him in an uncomfortably tight hug, swooning. Though Yuuri hadn't had to endure the grip for very long as Wolfram had promptly emerged from their carriage in a furious blur to set fire to said teacher's white cape. Amidst the ensuing screeches and chaos, it had taken several other teachers to straighten things out and only after a hug from Yuuri had calmed his blonde friend down. It was the first time Wolfram had been given detention and classes hadn't even started yet. Needless to say, Wolfram and Günter still didn't get along.

And then the morning after when the headmaster had come looking for the two boys to talk over their upcoming training, he'd found the pair in Yuuri's room sharing the black-haired boy's bed. It had left…quite an impression, and the fact that Wolfram had been wearing his favorite frilly, pink nightgown probably hadn't helped.

Two days at their new school and the duo were already known all over campus. It hadn't exactly been the way Yuuri had envisioned starting his Academy career, but then he supposed it had been too much to hope for that the future Maoh and the third son of the current one would be able to get away without being noticed.

The door to the main bathroom was shut tight and the hallway outside it empty when Yuuri arrived. Aside from the teachers, no one liked to bother a grouchy Wolfram. And the teachers mostly only did so because they had no choice. While Yuuri had become famous for his lack of temper, his blond best friend had become notorious for his excessive one.

He tried the doorknob but found it locked so settled for knocking instead. "Wolf? Are you all right? Open the door."

A long moment of silence greeted his words. Yuuri waited patiently until finally, a soft click reached his ears. Waiting for another moment to make sure Wolfram wasn't going to open it himself, Yuuri slipped inside and shut it carefully behind him, locking it again.

As Yuuri had expected, the blond Mazoku was on his knees in front of the toilet, slumped against the cool rim of the porcelain bowl. Strands of pale blond hair hung lankly about his face, adding to his unusually bedraggled appearance. The double black didn't need to see his face to know it would be deathly pale. He was across the room in moments, crouching down beside Wolfram with a sigh that was equal parts sympathy and exasperation.

"I thought you told me you were okay," Yuuri chided, continuing to rub soothing circles on his friend's back.

"I am."

The double black raised his eyebrows. "Right, and that's not your breakfast you were just throwing up."

Wolfram was silent for a long time, his eyes sullen in his overly white face. Finally, he mumbled, "I didn't want to stay in our room."

He hadn't wanted to be left behind.

Yuuri shook his head, hugging the blonde gently from behind. He knew Wolfram hated being left alone. It wasn't that he was afraid of being by himself. He'd scoff at even the suggestion. No, it was more that he was afraid Yuuri wouldn't come back, that the people he cared about would somehow forget about him. It didn't matter how many times Yuuri told him this was ridiculous. Sometimes, the double black wondered if it had to due with how often he'd been left at the Shibuyas. It didn't matter how much Wolfram liked living with his family or how well he'd gotten along with Yuuri's mother. It couldn't replace your own mother or your own family, not really. So perhaps it was not so silly after all that once it was within his power to do so, Wolfram clung to the people that he cared about.

"Wolf, why don't you just tell the teachers that you get seasick? I'm sure Anissina would be able to find some other way to get you to the island. And of course we'd make sure it could get you there in one piece first."

Testing to make sure the Academy's leading inventor's creations worked the way they were supposed to was extremely important to ensuring the user's wellbeing. Most people considered her to be somewhat less than sane, but maybe that was something that came with genius. At least Anissina herself would probably have said so.

"I'm not seasick," Wolf insisted but cut himself off a moment later to lean back over the toilet, his shoulders heaving. For better or for worse, there was nothing left in his stomach to come up.

"Wolfram," Yuuri said warningly. He didn't know why the other was being so stubborn about this. Lots of people got seasick. It wasn't anything to be ashamed of. Then again, Wolfram sometimes had strange standards for what was and was not worthy of embarrassment.

When the blonde's only response was to hunch in on himself, Yuuri sighed again and stood up. "Fine, we'll talk about this another time. Let's get you back to bed."

"But—"

"And I'll stay with you."

"Yuuri…"

The double black just smiled and held out his hand to help him to his feet. "Come on. It shouldn't be much longer before we're at the island. And you look like you could really use some sleep before classes start. And I wanted to look over some stuff anyway."

.

The island in question was a small and sparsely populated place located not far off the shores of Shin Makoku, the "sparsely populated" aspect being quite important to the Academy who sent its students there once every couple weeks in order to really practice wielding their elements. There fewer people there were, the smaller the chances of someone accidentally getting hurt by a bunch of amateurs.

Yuuri had _not_ been looking forward to it.

He was supposed to master his Maryoku by the time of his coming of age ceremony and official coronation; everyone expected it of him. It might have been another twenty years away, but it still felt like it was coming up far too quickly. Because the truth was that when it came to his powers, he could barely do more than make it drizzle. It wasn't that it wasn't _there. _It was just that for some reason, he couldn't seem to reach it.

If only magic could be as simple and straightforward as swordsmanship. Yuuri hadn't been that good at that either at first, but hard work plus the training he'd already done as an avid sports player had remedied that relatively quickly. He wasn't quite as good as Wolfram yet but he was getting there. His control over the elements, however, was an entirely different story.

The sphere of water hung suspended in the air between his hands, glowing faintly as he stared at it with brows furrowed in concentration.

"That's it," his teacher said encouragingly, watching the sphere with baited breath. "Now, see if you can change its shape."

Slowly, oh so slowly, Yuuri started to pull his hands apart. The sphere expanded and began to shift and for a moment he thought he'd got it—then despite everything, the light about his hands faded and the sphere collapsed in a shower of crystalline droplets.

Both teacher and student expelled matching sighs of disappointment and weariness. Yuuri felt a bit guilty as the older man rubbed at his temples. It looked like he'd given his incredibly patient teacher a headache _again_. It wasn't even that he lacked the power. When they had gone to their first Maryoku class and had their power levels measured by one of Anissina's properly functional inventions, his readings had been completely off the charts. The numbers had just continued rising until the machine gave up and died. Everyone had been astounded and delighted while Yuuri had just felt guilty for making said working machine no longer functional after all.. Yet try as he might, he couldn't seem to control his Maryoku.

"Why don't we take a break?" Professor Chrestin said finally, offering him a tired smile. "Maybe we'll have better luck once we've eaten. It looks like everyone's getting ready for lunch."

Yuuri nodded, but made no move to follow as the man left to join the other teachers gathering on the other side of the vast expanse of bare dirt. Instead, he waited until he was sure the man was gone before moving back and raising his hands to try again. He was still trying when Wolfram came in search of him.

"Yuuri, why aren't you eating?"

Letting his hands drop as the light faded yet again, Yuuri sighed. "I just don't get why I can't do it. I'm doing everything we're supposed to, I'm sure of it. But it just doesn't work!"

Setting his bag down beside Yuuri's, Wolfram went to stand in front of him. "Why don't you show me?"

Wiping the sweat off his brow, the double black lifted his hands for the umpteenth time. Blue light flowed about his hands and water droplets began to gather and solidify between them. Then with a splash, it dissolved again.

Wolfram frowned, crossing his arms. "You're supposed to keep a calm state of mind to access your element as a water user, right?"

"Yes, and I _am_." Combing his fingers through his dark hair, Yuuri sighed and dropped onto the ground beside their bags. "This is hopeless. I wonder if I should ask the Temple to pick someone else to be the next king. I know we're not supposed to question the Original King's choice, but seriously, who's ever heard of a Maoh who can't use Maryoku?"

"It's not hopeless," Wolfram snapped, stamping his foot. Yuuri giving up was always a sure way to get him angry. "Get up and try again. You've got more Maryoku than anyone in history aside from the Original King himself. You just have to stop being a wimp and believe in yourself."

"But I've been trying for half a decade."

"You mean you've _only _been trying for half a decade. Get up and try again."

Gazing into his friend's fiery emerald eyes, Yuuri couldn't help but smile. Wolfram's temper had stopped scaring him a long time ago. He knew the blonde only got angry because he cared, and really, he was kind of cute when he was mad.

"Okay, okay, I didn't say I was going to give up. But let's eat first, all right?"

Wolfram deflated almost at once though he grumbled a bit for show as he moved to sit beside him. He might have been quick to anger, but he was also quick to cool down—most of the time anyway.

"So how did your class go?" he asked, taking a bite of the sandwich he'd packed and leaning back on his free hand.

"It was all right," Wolfram answered, picking at his own lunch with a faintly disgruntled face. "But we got Professor Miayz again this time."

Yuuri frowned. "I don't like him."

Yuuri had watched one of the man's classes last time he'd taken over training Wolfram and the other more advanced fire element users. As teachers went, the man was a real slave driver. It wasn't even just that he drove his students hard. The problem was how the man had no qualms about assigning near impossible or strenuous tasks to his trainees with complete disregard for their safety. Supposedly, the man had toned things down since all the members of one of his classes ended up in the infirmary, but rumor had it that it was really just that—a rumor.

"It's not like we get a choice. He's the best fire wielder at the Academy."

"I thought that was that other professor, what was her name?"

"She's not teaching this year."

"Oh right, I forgot."

The woman had gotten engaged just a few months earlier and rumor had it that she and her fiancé had gone off on some sort of quest. He'd overheard one of the other fire element teachers grumbling about them being "old fashioned" while Günter railed about it being "romantic". Nof it had made any sense, though it did make him wonder just what kind of quest it was.

"I'm tired," Wolfram announced suddenly, pushing his food away. "I'm going to take a nap."

"But you've barely eaten anything."

"I'm not hungry."

Brow furrowing, Yuuri turned to study his friend with concern. Wolfram had laid his jacket on the ground and lay down curled on his side. It was only early afternoon. Wolfram shouldn't have been this tired.

"You're not getting sick, are you?" Yuuri reached out to put his hand to Wolfram's forehead. "You do seem a little warm."

"I'm always a little warm. I'm a fire element Mazoku." Still, the blonde made no move to push his hand away. Instead, he just closed his eyes and relaxed, his breathing evening out almost at once.

Still worried but with not much else he could do, Yuuri finished the rest of his lunch slowly, his gaze wandering across the training grounds to several students who had started up a small ball game. How those students had the energy to play ball knowing they would have to go straight back to training afterwards Yuuri had no idea, though perhaps they had one of the more relaxed teachers today. Beside him, Wolfram sighed in his sleep and Yuuri looked back at him with a fond smile. Wolfram really did look like an angel when he slept, at least now that he'd finally gotten out of the habit of unconsciously kicking Yuuri while he was at it.

Yuuri cringed to recall the first time Wolfram had climbed into bed with him. It had been the first time Lady Celi had left her son at his house. Yuuri's father had made a second bed for him in Yuuri's room, but halfway through the night, Yuuri had been woken by a sharp pain and the puzzling realization that he was lying on the floor. He hadn't figured out what was going on until he got back onto his bed only to narrowly avoid another haphazard blow. A still drowsy Yuuri had spent several moments trying and failing to understand what the blond boy was doing in his bed then shook his head and went to sleep in Wolfram's—only to be woken again an hour or so later on the floor again. About that time, little Yuuri had finally decided to wake his new friend up and ask him. The other boy had fidgeted a bit with his nightgown—and why had he been wearing a nightgown?—before answering with a stubborn jut to his chin that he didn't like to sleep by himself. And besides, when his father had still lived with them, he and his mother had slept in the same bed too, at least back before they'd started fighting and his father had gone away. Green eyes had dimmed at this recollection and the double black had decided not to argue. His bed was more than big enough for two kids. He just had to sleep farther away.

This tactic had worked for a couple years until they'd both grown a little and the bed was no longer quite as big as it had seemed. That was when Conrad had told Yuuri that his little brother didn't thrash around as much in his sleep if someone was holding him when he dozed off. Yuuri had taken his advice to heart and, sure enough, that night he hadn't added any bruises to his collection. A few more years of that and Wolfram had become a lot less restless in his sleep, enough so that Yuuri no longer had to worry about waking up with a concussion even when Wolfram wasn't being held—which was good since now that they were older still, sharing a bed offered whole new, er, _complications_.

"Thinking about your boyfriend?"

The all-too-familiar voice pulled Yuuri back to the present and he looked up to find another black-haired boy standing only a few paces away. "Murata, what are you doing here? I thought you didn't use any elements?"

Murata shrugged, the sunlight gleaming off his glasses obscuring the eyes behind them. "I don't. But as the future Great Sage, I should know how these things work. And don't try to change the subject."

Yuuri looked away, fighting the heat he just knew was rising to his face. "He's not my boyfriend."

"Not yet, you mean."

Yuuri flushed but didn't say anything. All he could think about was Wolfram telling him that first time when they were little that Yuuri would ask him to marry him someday. It had seemed pretty farfetched back then, but then marriage in general had seemed pretty farfetched to his fifty-year-old mind. Now… Now, he was just afraid that his blond angel didn't remember that particular conversation since the subject had never directly been brought up again. He knew Wolfram _liked_ him—or he was _almost_ sure he did just as he was _almost _sure he liked him back. But it was that "almost" that always got in the way of him actually doing anything.

In his head, he could just hear Wolfram snort. _Wimp_.

"You know that people are talking," Murata continued when the other boy made no move to respond.

Of course he knew that people _talked_. They were all getting to that age when such things began to be of interest and take on importance. Still, "It's none of their business."

"You're the heir to the crown."

"I know that, but that doesn't make it their business."

"No, but it means that they're curious." Murata cocked his head a little, giving him a sly sort of smile. "That and a fair share are jealous too. You've got quite a few admirers you know, and everyone can see that Lord von Bielefeld is going to be a real beauty. He does take remarkably after his mother."

"Go away," Yuuri said firmly, scooting a little closer to Wolfram. The Sage-in-training always made him uncomfortable and he didn't like the way he looked at his best friend.

Murata shrugged. "Alright, alright, I'll leave you two alone. As you said, it's not really my business—at least until you're officially the king and I'm officially your advisor. You might want to wake him though. Lunch break is almost over."

Yuuri watched him go, feeling uneasy. Maybe that was why Murata Ken made him uncomfortable. He always carried this aura about him—as though he knew something that you didn't. And he left people wondering exactly what that was and, even more importantly, whether it was something important.

.

The sun had only just begun to set when all activity was interrupted by a violent explosion followed by a wave of searing heat. Yuuri stumbled and spun towards the noise, black eyes going wide with shock.

Against the evening sky, the flames stood out like a blazing, golden beacon, bright and beautiful and terrible. Fire, he had never seen so much fire in one place in his life. Screams and shouts of alarm reached his ears from all directions. He'd never heard his teacher curse before, but the normally mild-tempered man was definitely cursing now. He took off running towards the flames along with all the teachers not preoccupied with calming the students and Yuuri didn't hesitate to follow him.

They arrived on the base just as one of the other water element teachers was helping a student out from the wall of flames. The girl was coughing uncontrollably, her face pale and streaked with soot and her clothes charred in several places. Yuuri's heart sped up at the sight of her—both because of her condition and because he recognized her.

"What happened?"

The other teacher just snarled, practically incoherent with rage. "That stupid, stupid bastard!"

Yuuri scanned the area, searching frantically. The earth and water wielders were all trying unsuccessfully to tame the fire while the wind and some water users escorted the injured students to safety. But try as he might, he couldn't find the person he was looking for. Where was Wolfram? These were all students from his class.

"—thought we told everyone to stay away from this forest. The land properties are bad enough, but a forest! What was he thinking?"

Turning back to the teachers, Yuuri asked, "Have you seen Wolfram?"

The woman shook her head. "He's still missing. And we haven't found Miayz either, but it serves the fool right for pulling this stunt."

She continued to rant but Yuuri was no longer listening. He was already sprinting towards the hole that she had made earlier in the flames.

Professor Chrestin made a grab for his arm but missed. "Yuuri? Yuuri, wait!"

When the boy didn't stop, Chrestin made to run after him but a hand on his elbow stopped him. Jerking around, the water user blinked then looked down into a pair of bespectacled eyes.

"He'll be fine," Murata assured him calmly. "It needs to happen. Watch."

What had been a forest was now a sea of fire. Tongues of vivid, burning color ran along the ground and danced amongst the branches of trees, slowly reducing everything they touched to ash. Yuuri's eyes stung and his throat burned from the smoke, but he was in too much of a hurry to notice.

"Wolfram!"

In the end, Yuuri wasn't sure how he found him. It was like a sixth sense had drawn him to the two figures sprawled upon the ground just outside a grove that resembled nothing so much as one huge and wild bonfire. Both the professor and Wolfram looked as though they had been dragged through Hell and back. It looked as though Miayz had hauled them both out of the grove before collapsing, which did make Yuuri somewhat less angry if not by much. The man was a fool but not a malicious one, which was probably one of the reasons why he hadn't been forcibly retired from teaching a long time ago. Dropping down between them, Yuuri shook them.

"Professor? Wolfram? Wolf, come on, _wake up_. You have to get up!"

Wolfram's head lolled against his shoulder when he pulled him into his arms and Yuuri could feel the fear clawing at his chest. The blonde had always looked a bit delicate, but he'd never seemed so frail before.

Looking helplessly back at the unconscious professor and the flames that seemed to have closed in around them, Yuuri felt the desperation building like a storm in his veins. He had to do something. There was no one else who could help them. The others were doing all they could, but that obviously wasn't enough. He was the only one left and he'd be damned if he let any of them die here.

Suddenly, Wolfram stirred against him. "…Yuuri?"

"Wolf," Yuuri exclaimed, torn between relief and anxiety.

The other Mazoku clutched at the front of Yuuri's shirt, though his grip was weak. "Wh—what's going on?"

Staring down into emerald eyes still glazed with pain and confusion, Yuuri felt something finally snap. Pulling the other boy closer to him, he carefully stood up and rested his cheek against soft, golden hair now streaked with sweat and soot. "Don't worry. Everything's going to be all right."

In his head, he could hear Wolfram shouting at him earlier to try again, to just get up and _try again_.

And that was when the storm struck.

.

Wolfram sat on the wide sill of the window in his room at the Academy with his knees pulled up against his chest, staring out at the grounds and the clear sky dusted with stars. He'd been released from the infirmary a few days before and it was nice to be back, even if he still wasn't going to be allowed to do anything other than sit around and maybe study a little. At least now he could be idle in his room instead of in an infirmary bed surrounded by most of the other students in his class. Well technically, it was Yuuri's room, but he practically lived there anyway. He wasn't even sure he remembered where the room he'd been assigned was.

It had been several weeks since the island fire incident but the event still remained fresh in everyone's minds. Wolfram suspected that it would become one of those school legends, and he felt rather proud about it on Yuuri's behalf. No one had ever called up such a storm before, and he'd heard from the other students that there had been dragons—huge beasts of rushing water amidst the lightning that tore across the unnaturally dark sky. Wolfram would have liked to have seen it all for himself, but as it were, all he could really remember from the whole debacle was a pair of fierce, dark eyes, their pupils narrowed into slits. There had been something almost frightening about those eyes, something powerful, but at the same time they had made him feel safe. Because somehow, he knew that it was still Yuuri behind those eyes, maybe a Yuuri that wasn't quite like the one he knew now but still Yuuri all the same.

Professor Miayz had been suspended until further notice for taking his students onto grounds that he knew would sap their energy. He had thought it would "toughen them up" he'd explained, but even he knew things had gone too far. He had known it the moment his students' had lost control of their Maryoku, and had taken his suspension without complaint.

The door to the room swung open and Yuuri slipped inside wearing his customary blue pajamas, his hair still slightly damp from the bath he'd just taken.

"So how'd it go?" Wolfram asked, sliding off the windowsill to go sit on their bed.

Yuuri sighed. "I think I'll be taking extra lessons for the next decade. It keeps fluctuating. Sometimes I can blow Professor Chrestin completely away and sometimes I'm lucky if I can get so much as a water drop."

"But you've done it once. That means you can do it again. I'm sure you'll be able to control it eventually, so don't you dare give up."

"Yeah, I know." Breaking into a grin, Yuuri laid the towel he'd been using to dry his hair on the back of a chair and moved to join him on the bed. "Thank you."

"For what?"

Yuuri smiled and reached out to brush a stray lock of hair out of emerald green eyes. "For believing in me."

Wolfram snorted, though Yuuri could tell that he was pleased. "Of course I believe in you. You're my king. I'll support you no matter what."

"I'm not the king yet."

"I know, but you will be. And I'll be your best and most loyal soldier."

Yuuri quirked an eyebrow at his companion's frilly, pink nightgown, amused. "I'm sure you will."

"Yuuri," Wolfram scowled, "don't be mean."

He knew Yuuri thought his taste in nightwear was strange, but he _liked _his nightgowns. They were comfortable. And besides, it wasn't technically anyone else's business what he chose to wear to bed. _Technically. _

His scowl slowly turned into a pout as another thought struck him. "You don't like it. You think it makes me look silly, don't you?"

"What? No!"—why was the blonde always jumping to conclusions like that?—"I do like it," Yuuri protested, blushing at the admittance. "It looks very cute on you."

His cheeks going slightly pink, Wolfram turned his head away—though he couldn't help but peer back at the double black out of the corner of his eyes. "You really think so?"

Yuuri nodded, trying valiantly not to think about how said nightgown had a tendency of riding up while his friend slept and how easy it would be to run his hands up the pale thighs. He was not generally a pervert, at least he didn't think so. It wasn't his fault that a beautiful, blond angel insisted on sharing his bed every night. It hadn't been an issue when they were little, but the fact was that they were growing up and that changed things. Mostly, it meant that he'd started to really _notice _how attractive his friend really was. In fact, he was rather proud of himself for not having molested said angel yet. He doubted that anyone else in his position would have been able to keep their hands to themselves.

The fact that he was almost sure Wolfram wouldn't deny him did _not _help.

His thoughts ground to a halt when soft lips pressed shyly to his own for just a moment before Wolfram pulled away. "Goodnight, Yuuri."

Not meeting the double black's startled eyes, the blonde lay down. But before he could turn his back to him, Yuuri reached out to cup his face in his hands. Then he was leaning down to capture his surprised angel's lips in another kiss. Wolfram gasped and, on impulse, Yuuri took the opportunity to slip his tongue into the other boy's mouth. They both hesitated at the strange new sensation but only for a moment. It wasn't unpleasant and neither of them wanted to pull away, not until the need for air forced them apart.

Yuuri would have expected to feel embarrassed at his own actions but he wasn't. In fact, what he _really _wanted right then was to lean down and do it again. There was something incredibly intoxicating about the way Wolfram tasted and the feel of his slender body under his own—almost as intoxicating as the way his angel smiled at him when he was really, truly happy like he was doing now.

"Goodnight, Wolfram," Yuuri said instead, lying down beside him and reaching out to wrap an arm around Wolfram's waist. The blonde snuggled back closer to him and let out a contented sigh.

All of a sudden, Yuuri was _very _much looking forward to his coming of age ceremony. Because then he'd be old enough to propose and make sure nobody could take his Wolf away from him.

_Of course, if only things could always be that easy. _

* * *

><p><strong>TBC… <strong>

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><p><strong>.<br>**


	3. The Wishing Spring

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Kyo Kara Maoh.

**Pairings**: Yuuri x Wolfram

**Warnings: Shounan ai (boy/boy pairings), you have been warned. **

* * *

><p><strong>Our Once Upon a Time<strong>

**By V. Shalyr **

* * *

><p><strong>3. The Wishing Spring<strong>

"_They say that there's a spring in the mountains that every Maoh has visited since the Original King himself." _

_Yuuri looked up from the book he had open on the table before him. The Academy library was dark save for the lamp he'd placed beside him and the moonlight spilling through the window. "What are you doing up at this time of night, Murata?" _

"_I should be asking you the same except that I already know what you're doing." The other double black gestured at the various books piled about him. "Going through the stories of old kings… I suppose you're looking for a way to control your Maryoku. So has it worked?" _

_Yuuri frowned, leaning back in his chair with a sigh. "Not really. They were all so different." _

"_And that's why I'm here to help. You should have gone to the Temple, you know." _

"_I did, but they said they couldn't tell me anything." _

"_I suppose Shinou can be a bit difficult. But as I said, there's a spring in the mountains that legends say can show you the answers to any question, although it will only answer three questions in the course of one lifetime." _

"_Any three questions?" _

"_Any three questions—about the past, about the future, about yourself or the people around you. Quite amazing, isn't it?" _

"_If it really exists." Yuuri's frown deepened and he studied Murata suspiciously. "This all seems a bit too convenient." _

"_Suit yourself. But if you're curious, it's said to be in the mountains you can see from this window right now." _

…That had been a month ago. Yuuri hadn't pursued that particular legend, but that didn't mean he'd forgotten it, especially with the mountains in question right before him right now.

"So we're the last ones, huh?" Yuuri glanced around the courtyard of the old fortress ruins, ghostly in the gray, predawn light.

Beside him Wolfram stifled a yawn, leaning against the side of a broken pillar. "We are, but it's not like there were that many teams to begin with."

"That's true. And I guess it's not like it really matters."

Half a dozen teams had arrived at the old fortress five days before, a total of twenty-four students. It was a task all graduating students had to perform. One team always composed of one wielder from each of the four elements set out each morning from the ruins at the base of the mountains—their goal, to make it back to the Academy on the other side on their own with only minimal pre-prepared supplies. Even with an excellent sense of direction and no trouble along the way, it promised to be a trip of at least a week. More than two weeks and their teachers would be out looking for them.

"Hey, you okay?" Yuuri asked in concern as his angel yawned again. All the fire element users had been working overtime ever since they'd arrived at this remote starting point. The nights had been abnormally cold and the lack of appropriate shelter and clothing meant they'd had to use their powers to keep the campsite warm enough so that everyone didn't catch cold or freeze to death.

Wolfram just gave a sleepy nod, his face scrunching up a moment later in a look of annoyance. "Where are those two anyway? The sooner we lave, the sooner we can get back."

"Alright, alright, we're here. Sheesh, someone's grouchy this morning." A blue-haired girl dropped onto the ground beside him accompanied by a gust of wind that made Wolfram raise his arm to shield his face. She straightened and presented a bulging bag made out of what had probably been her cloak. "I was just collecting some of the fruits from the trees on the other side of this fortress. It's more or less ripe. Some of the other groups took some along too as part of their provisions and I thought it'd be a good idea."

A boy with hair the color of damp earth soon joined them, walking at a more sedate pace. He never did anything too quickly much like his element, which had gotten him pretty low marks in physical education. "You mean _I _saw them take it and thought it would be a good idea. You're always stealing my credit, Eiri."

Eiri's hand flew up to her mouth and her eyes went wide. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Ryego. I honestly forgot you were the one who told me!"

Wolfram cringed at the volume of her voice and shrank closer to Yuuri. His head ached from lack of sleep. Why did they have to do this in groups of four anyway? He would have been more than perfectly happy with just Yuuri. Yuuri wasn't loud and noisy. And maybe if they were alone, Yuuri would have let him bring his nightgown and sleeping would have been more comfortable. The double black had told him that it was impractical for this trip and Wolfram had reluctantly agreed, but he suspected Yuuri's reasons had more to do with why he didn't like Wolfram wandering down to the Academy kitchens for a snack after he'd already changed for bed. They'd had an argument about that their first year at school, after which a cupboard for snacks had been installed in their room. Oh how he missed their bed right now.

"Right then, let's go."

Slinging his pack over his shoulders, Yuuri reached out and grasped Wolfram's hand as they started out onto the path leading up into the mountains. The fire user still looked half asleep on his feet. But hopefully, once they got moving, he'd start waking up a little more.

.

The road started out smoothly enough, but quickly narrowed and grew steep as they started the ascent towards the barren peaks. Without having to be asked, Ryego moved into the lead, feeling out the earth before them and trying to choose the safest route for them to take. They took a break for lunch at around noon and Yuuri used his senses to help them locate a small stream with water clear enough to drink. Wolfram ate a little then took a nap while the others repacked their belongings. His powers would be needed when it started growing dark.

Food turned out to be a minor issue. The recent cold spells had killed a lot of edible plants, but Eiri proved to be a skilled hunter and Yuuri had discovered a strange affinity for catching fish. Perhaps most surprisingly, Wolfram turned out to be a pretty decent cook. For one thing, he never burnt anything.

The real trouble came when the snowstorm struck on the morning of their third day.

Wolfram woke when the first snowflake landed on his nose. Emerald eyes fluttered open and he surveyed the small clearing they'd built camp in the night before with growing dismay. His back was warm where he was pressed against Yuuri's chest, but every other part of him was freezing, and no wonder. The leaves on the trees, the ground, and even the remains of their cooking fire were all covered in a fine layer of frost, a frost that was rapidly becoming a layer of snow.

"Yuuri!" Wolfram bolted upright and turned to shake the double black's shoulder urgently. "We've got to get moving!"

Yuuri murmured something in his sleep and the hand that had been resting on Wolfram's waist slid lower. The fire user blushed and hurriedly scrambled to his feet before their two traveling companions could come around and see.

"Yuuri, wake up!"

With a start, the water Mazoku sat up, wiping a bit of frost from his hair and then staring at his fingers in surprise. He'd never really been bothered by the cold, but still. "This is _not _good."

Wolfram didn't waste time remarking upon the obviousness of this statement, choosing instead to run over to the two lumps under the blankets on the other side of the dead fire. "Eiri! Ryego! Get up, we have to leave immediately!"

More importantly, they needed to find somewhere to shelter from the storm before it really started to blow in.

While the rest of them hastily cleaned up, Ryego knelt on the ground and placed his palms flat upon the icy dirt. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to ignore the cold eating into his bones and sent his senses outward, searching.

"There are a lot of caves and tunnels around here, but the closest entrance is at least half a day away."

And the snow was already falling heavily by the time they'd been on the road for an hour. They couldn't even really hurry. The mountain paths were dangerous enough in clear weather, let alone in weather like this hidden and made slippery by ice. Ryego had been in the lead but soon had to relinquish that position to Eiri who struggled to use her winds to divert the brunt of the blizzard. Every so often, they would have to stop and Wolfram would melt a path down to the dirt so that Ryego could check their course.

Trudging at the back of the party, Yuuri felt rather useless. The cold of the snowstorm didn't bother him, but that wasn't very helpful for his teammates.

"I see it!" Eiri's excited and exhausted voice cut over the howling of the wind three pairs of eyes strained to see in the direction she was pointing. The mouth of the cave appeared to be nothing more than a smudge of black against the whiteness, but that was enough.

They tumbled into the dark cavern and Eiri collapsed against the smooth wall, completely drained. "Damn, guess this is why they call it survival training, huh?"

Ryego waited until everyone was safely inside then gestured with his hands, pulling up a section of the earth so that half of the cave's entrance was blocked off, helping to prevent the snow from spilling in. And then he too sank down beside the wind wielder, expelling a long, weary breath as he tried to get comfortable. "I think we may be here for awhile."

"Here." Yuuri unrolled one of the packs he'd been carrying to reveal a hefty bundle of firewood. They were a little bit damp, but not so much so that they couldn't serve their purpose. This way, Wolfram could get some rest too after lighting the fire instead of having to work to keep it lit.

The blonde gave him a grateful look then snapped his fingers, sending a small spark dancing across the fuel and setting it ablaze. As the warmth finally swept around their makeshift shelter, they all breathed a sigh of relief.

"I think there are a few tunnels leading out of here," Ryego said slowly with his eyes closed. "But I'm not sure if any of them can lead us through the mountain."

Eiri grimaced. "Well, I don't plan on finding out until I've had some sleep."

A low grumble of what was probably agreement was the earth user's only reply. Weariness had taken its toll on him already. Eiri would have laughed if her own eyelids weren't demanding to droop shut.

"I hope there isn't anything living here," Wolfram muttered, scooting as close to the fire as he could without singeing his clothes. "Dragons used to live in these mountains, you know."

"I would have liked to be able to see a dragon," Yuuri said wistfully. He'd always thought it a great pity that the beasts were almost extinct, but the world as it was had not been hospitable to creatures with so many magical properties and an overabundance of armored scales, massive teeth, and claws like curved knies. "Though I suppose with how much it snows now, it would have been too cold for them here anyway."

"Yeah."

"Aren't you going to rest?"

The other two were already out cold.

Wolfram shook his head but didn't say anything. Even so, Yuuri could see him shivering. The other three were all shivering. Without a word, Yuuri went over to Eiri's and Ryego's packs, pulled out their blankets and draped them over their respective owners. Returning to Wolfram, he sat and pulled the blonde into his lap, using their remaining two blankets to wrap around them.

"Better?"

Wolfram squirmed a little, casting anxious glances over the fire at their companions. "But, Yuuri, what if they wake up?"

After that first kiss some months ago, the double black had tentatively begun to court him to Wolfram's delight, though it was still mostly in secret—a gift, a kiss, sneaking out during dinner to spend time together in the town. Wolfram would have liked nothing more than to announce their new relationship to the world, but he respected Yuuri's wishes. And really, thinking about telling everyone and actually doing it were two very different things, and Wolfram had found that maybe he wasn't quite ready for that either. Not that he'd ever admit it. It was rather irritating, always feeling a bit torn between wanting people to know and being painfully self-conscious about it all.

"It doesn't matter," Yuuri assured him, tucking the blond head under his chin. "You're tired. You've all used up a lot of energy. Get some sleep."

Wolfram was too comfortable to protest further. Nodding, he snuggled closer to him and let his eyes close, his breathing evening out almost at once.

Yuuri sat leaning against the cave wall, watching his companions and listening to the blizzard. He could _feel _the storm. It was like if he could just somehow reach out, he could control it, redirect it perhaps and send it another way, or maybe dissipate it altogether. But try as he might, the power kept slipping out of his grasp. Letting out a frustrated breath, he tightened his arms around Wolfram and sighed.

It warmed him, how much confidence his angel had in him no matter how many times Wolfram yelled at him for being a wimp. But sometimes… Sometimes, it just made him more afraid of disappointing him. Yuuri didn't like to disappoint anyone, all the people who looked to him to become a king that would somehow transform their kingdom for the better, but the thought of disappointing someone who always stood by him so wholeheartedly no matter the choices or mistakes he made was even worse.

Glancing about the cave, Yuuri recalled that conversation he'd had with the Sage-in-training. Murata had said that the spring was in these very mountains. Perhaps it was even in this very network of caves and tunnels. He'd looked up the legend the night Murata had told him the story, and the one picture he'd found had been of a cavern, the ripples upon the water gleaming with moonlight from cracks in the stone far above. It had been quite a beautiful picture actually, but perhaps that was to be expected of a legend.

Yuuri hesitated. But really, why not? They were already here after all. It couldn't hurt to try.

His mind made up, he closed his eyes and threw his senses outward, searching. It was a little difficult with all the frozen water outside and the streams running deep beneath the earth. But his attention was soon drawn to a spot of vividness in his head. There really was a spring somewhere in these caves, not all that far from them either, and the water—something about the water felt different.

"Sometimes, I wonder if he plans all of this," Yuuri muttered. And Murata asked why Yuuri was always so suspicious of him.

Perhaps later when the others were awake, he could go investigate.

Eiri watched the pair across the fire from beneath her lashes, her eyes just barely open. She _knew_ it. She'd always suspected that there was something between the two, ever since she'd first become friends with them. Well, all of them—friends, admirers, and enemies—had _suspected_. They were so _obvious_ sometimes, even if they didn't realize it. They might not have ever done anything, but everyone could see it in the way they looked at each other. It was really kind of funny how they thought they were being so discreet.

The wind user hid a soft smile. They made such a cute picture together. It made her wish that she knew how to paint.

Oh well, if they wanted to be secretive about it for now, it was their choice. Though she hoped they realized that Wolfram's lineage and Yuuri's rank wouldn't allow them to keep it a secret for very much longer.

.

"Are you sure we can eat this?" Wolfram asked dubiously, holding up the bundle of strange, purple moss that Ryego had pointed out.

The taller boy nodded solemnly. "Winters are very cold in my part of the kingdom and Father used to use that to make stew, to help keep the chills away I believe. It tastes better than it looks."

Wolfram wrinkled his nose. "I certainly hope so."

But he supposed that beggars couldn't be choosers. Something to eat was better than nothing.

All in all, everything the four of them were able to gather for dinner seemed a little strange. Even the fish Yuuri had managed to catch—and where in the world had he found them?—appeared odd, being the kind of fish that lived in waters that seldom if ever saw sunlight. Granted, once you cooked them, they tasted pretty much like every other fish. None of them were much into the finer points of aquatic food.

Yuuri ate quickly and rose to his feet. "Hey, I'm just going to go look around a bit. I think there might be a spring nearby."

"I'm coming with you," Wolfram said immediately, following suit.

Ryego shrugged. "If the water's clean, make sure you bring some back."

"Sure thing. We'll try not to be too long."

Wolfram grabbed their swords from the floor and handed Yuuri his before strapping his own onto his waist. That ready, Yuuri made a makeshift torch and the two set off to the back of the cavern where the double black turned down the tunnel on the right.

"Does this have to do with that spring your friend mentioned?" Wolfram asked after they'd been walking for awhile.

Yuuri smiled sheepishly. "Yeah. I mean, it doesn't hurt to give it a try, right?"

"I suppose."

"And besides, I'm pretty sure this is the right place. The water here, it feels _different_."

Wolfram frowned uncertainly but nodded. He wasn't exactly a water expert, but he too could feel something change as they moved deeper into the mountain. It was a tingle inside him almost like excitement that reminded him of how he felt when Yuuri kissed him, yet laced with something almost dangerous—like a pair of slitted eyes in a familiar and yet unfamiliar face.

"There's something written here," Yuuri said suddenly, stopping and holding the light closer to the wall. "It's kind of hard to make anything out though."

Carefully, he brushed away some of the dirt and dust clinging to the rocky surface. As the debris fell away, the letters began to glow, traced in brilliant blue light. An answering light glimmered for a moment about Yuuri's hand then a section of the rock wall simply melted away. They stared at one another then back into the newly revealed passageway. This one had obviously been manmade and the walls illuminated by a faint blue light that seemed to come from stones embedded in the ceiling were covered in the carvings of dragons.

"This is amazing," Yuuri murmured, moving into the corridor and lifting a hand to trace one of the dragon's long, triangular snouts. "They look almost real."

"Yuuri."

"Huh?" Turning, Yuuri frowned to find Wolfram still standing at the entryway. "Aren't you coming."

The blonde scowled at him. "Don't you think I would have already if I could? There's something blocking me. I can't get past this spot."

He raised his fist and pounded on what looked like thin air in demonstration. "I think it's some kind of barrier."

"That's odd. I didn't have any trouble. Maybe only the Maoh can enter?"

"I don't like it, Yuuri. What if it's a trap?"

He had a point, but looking around at the carvings. Yuuri couldn't help but believe that that wasn't the case. "I can't really explain it, but I think it'll be all right. I'd like to keep going."

Wolfram hesitated then sighed and sat down beside the entryway, laying his sword across his lap. "Fine, but be careful. I'll wait here."

"You don't have to stay here."

"I want to."

And that was that as far as Wolfram was concerned, and Yuuri knew better than to argue. Telling himself that he'd be back as soon as possible, Yuuri started down the corridor.

.

"Did you hear that?"

Eiri glanced up from where she'd patiently been feeding the fire to look at her companion. "Hear what?"

Ryego had gotten to his feet, his head cocked slightly to one side and his eyes narrowed. "I think there's something coming this way."

"Is it them?" Eiri asked, confused. What did he mean by "something"? That was certainly a strange word to use to describe one's teammates.

"I'm not—"

A ground-shattering roar cut him off and he spun towards the cavern mouth, his eyes flying wide with shock. Before either of them could react, the snow and rock piled up in the entrance to their temporary shelter exploded inwards, showering them with dirt and snow. And something huge and heavy and furious came crashing into them, knocking them both into the wall with enough force to make them see stars.

Wolfram leapt to his feet when he heard the explosion and the shouting. The ruckus came from the same direction he and Yuuri had come earlier, and was that Eiri yelling? He hesitated, not wanting to leave his self appointed guard duty but also unwilling to leave their remaining two companions to deal with whatever trouble had come their way alone.

Another crash and the sound of someone screaming decided things for him. His sword gripped tightly in his hand, he sprinted back down the passage, calling up a fireball as he went. What he saw when he arrived on the scene, however, stopped him cold in his tracks.

Several heavily armored men and women were scattered about their cavern, bristling with weapons in styles Wolfram had only ever read about. Eiri stood in the corner hovering protectively over an unconscious Ryego, glaring fiercely at a man who seemed to be waving about a knife carved of some sort of stone. And in the middle of it all taking the attention of almost everyone present crouched a creature Wolfram had never thought he'd ever see in person. Blood dripped from the muzzle of the giant beast as it swung its head towards the new intruder, its yellow eyes afire with pain and fear and rage. For a moment, Wolfram found himself pinned by that piercing, golden glare, and then he was throwing himself forward without another thought at the nearest stranger. Metal clanged against metal, but the sound was all but drowned out as the beast before them roared.

.

It looked almost exactly like it had in the picture, only less bright with the snow getting in the way of the natural light. .

Yuuri stared around the chamber in awe. Past visitors had carved a short flight of stairs leading down into the spring, a little worn from the passage of time but still solid beneath his feet. Taking a deep breath, Yuuri took a step into the cold, clear water. The moment he was standing in the shallow pool, he felt stronger than ever that _something different_ that had been plaguing him since he'd first sensed it. As a water user, he'd always felt a special connection with the element. But this place—this spring—was _alive_. Not alive in the same way a person was alive, but vivid with an entirely different kind of energy that seemed to recognize and react with his own. And even before he could verbalize his question, it was already answering.

Only it wasn't the kind of answer he'd been expecting.

The cavern about him had gone dark and the water around him almost seemed to glow with its own deep blue light, but Yuuri hardly paid any attention to either of these. All his focus was on the person who turned to meet his gaze, a man who was and yet wasn't him at the same time. He looked like Yuuri but older, his longish black hair framing dark eyes with pupils that had narrowed into slits like those of a cat or a reptile, and Yuuri was reminded of the water dragons from that incident of the forest fire. He carried himself with a regal confidence that Yuuri was still working on building, heavy with a sense of authority.

"Who are you?"

The man raised one eyebrow at that. _"Don't you know?" _

Yuuri hesitated for a moment. He _did _know, he realized, but it still felt strange to say it aloud. "You're me."

A Yuuri that had already mastered his element. A Yuuri who had already become the Maoh, someone that Yuuri had yet to but would someday become.

"_Yes and no." _

Briefly, Yuuri wondered if he was going to grow up to be this cryptic too. He'd always considered himself a fairly straightforward person, but then maybe it was a king thing. Kings couldn't afford to be straightforward all of the time. Though he rather thought that he could at _least_ be more straightforward with _himself_.

"So can you help me?"

In response, the water about their feet stirred and a dragon lifted its head from its surface. Suddenly, they were no longer standing in the spring but amidst the coils of the giant beast with scales glistening like frost-edged crystals.

"_You'll have to make that choice." _

The dragon lowered its head so that Yuuri could look into its eyes, fierce eyes like those of his counterpart that gleamed with the afterimages of lightning.

"_Water has a lot of forms. For Chrestin Laqui, it is calm and still like a mountain lake. For you, for us… Do you know what the nature of your element is?" _

Staring into the dragon's eyes and thinking back to the burning forest where he'd first summoned forth his power, Yuuri thought that maybe yes, he did know.

"_Then can you tell me why you want to be able to control this power…?" _

Yuuri wasn't sure when he'd closed his eyes, or maybe he'd had them closed the whole time and the entire conversation he'd had with his other self had all been a vision in his head. All he knew was that when he opened his eyes, he was once again standing knee-deep in the waters of the spring, alone. Carefully, Yuuri stepped back up onto the bank and turned to give the spring a respectful nod. And with a hesitant thank you—because you should always be polite when someone has helped you even if you aren't entirely sure they can hear or understand—he turned and headed back towards their camp.

He had a lot to think about.

Only when he arrived at the mouth of the corridor where he had left Wolfram, the blonde was nowhere to be found. It wasn't like him to leave without telling him and, frowning, Yuuri quickened his pace towards their campsite. Emerging into the cavern, he froze in horror. The place looked as though a hurricane had swept through it. Their belongings had been scattered everywhere. Soot from their fire had somehow ended up smudged and streaked across the walls. Wolfram, Eiri, and Ryego were all gone, and there was blood on the cavern floor.

.

Wolfram tugged uselessly on the ropes binding his wrists and ankles, his eyes ablaze with fury.

"Save your energy," Ryego muttered, his eyes still closed as he continued to feign unconsciousness. "Do you want them to get annoyed and knock you out too?"

Emerald eyes darkened, falling upon Eiri's limp form beside him. All three of them had been bound, but only he and Eiri had been gagged. Their captors had grown tired of their sharp tongues and, after Eiri had managed to knee one of them in a rather sensitive area, they'd struck her hard enough across the temple for her to lose consciousness. Much as wolfram would have liked to be the one who'd landed that blow, he had no desire to be so completely at these people's mercy.

Ceasing his struggles which were only making the ropes tighter anyway, Wolfram surveyed the new cavern once again. It was larger than the one they'd been sheltering in and looked as though it had been lived in by these strangers for quite some time. Currently, the group of poachers was gathered around a fire only a few paces away, cleaning their gear while venison roasted on a spit above it. What drew his focus and made the anger flare up again, however, were the occupants of the far side of the cavern. The dragon, huge but badly injured, lay curled against the stone, immobilized by heavy chains forged of special metal and etched with spells. Beside it stood a cage in which a much smaller version of the magnificent beast huddled as far as it could get away from the bars, its tiny wings folded over its head as though in an attempt to shut out the world.

"I didn't know dragons could still live in these mountains," Ryego continued in a whisper, more to himself than to Wolfram. "The Academy will want to know. It's quite an amazing discovery. We'll have to resurvey the region."

Wolfram squirmed. They had more urgent problems here.

As if sensing his frustration—not that it wasn't written plain enough on his face—Ryego flexed his hands. His forehead creased in concentration and then relaxed. "It's no good. They've got too many of those stones."

Esoteric stones mined in human lands, stones that sapped the strength of Mazoku and rendered their powers useless. Wolfram had been trying to ignore the nausea their presence provoked, but it got significantly worse as the man he'd picked out as the leader of the poachers stood up and approached them.

"So what should we do with these kids?"

"They're not kids, they're demons," one of his companions replied, moving to join him and scrutinizing their captives with distaste. "I vote we just kill them. It would save us a lot of trouble."

Wolfram glared at him, taking vindictive satisfaction from the burns the man was sporting. He'd still been able to cause quite a bit of damage before they'd overwhelmed him. At least half of them would have scars later to remember their encounter by.

"Don't be so shortsighted. They were carrying some high quality gear. If they're families are well off, we might be able to ransom them. Besides, this one's quite pretty. It would be a shame just to kill him."

Wolfram tensed and jerked away from the gloved fingers that tried to grasp his chin. His stomach twisted and he glared daggers at the man, wishing his hands were free and he still had his sword. He'd be damned if he let these bastards see that he was even just a little bit afraid.

The man snorted, but before he could say anything more, a rumble in the earth interrupted him. Wolfram looked at Ryego but the earth user shook his head, his eyes now wide open. The rumble escalated into a roar and suddenly, the ground beneath them erupted. Water lashed whiplike through the room, knocking everyone who was still standing onto the cracked floor.

"What the hell—?"

Then Wolfram saw the water dragons for the first time, and they were every bit as striking as the school rumors had claimed. Yuuri leapt down from the head of the largest beast and ran towards them, wrapped in sapphire light.

Out of the corner of his eye, Wolfram saw the lead poacher lurch to his feet and make a lunge for the double black, that blasted knife of his upraised. But before he could even try to warn him, massive, icy jaws snapped about the man, lifting him clear off his feet and slamming him against the wall. The knife and the stones he wore as part of his armor disintegrated and, to be honest, Wolfram was greatly impressed by the display of the future Maoh's power, though all he said when Yuuri pulled the gag from his mouth was, "What took you so long?"

There would be time to be suitably impressed later.

"Hey, I came as quickly as I could. Are you all okay?"

Ryego rubbed at his wrists where the ropes had bitten into his skin. "Just minor injuries, though we should contact the Academy and get Eiri to a healer. They hit her rather hard."

Yuuri nodded, his expression unusually grim as he stood up. Helping Wolfram to his feet, he glanced over his teammates one last time before turning to survey their captors turned captives. "I'm sorry I took so long," he repeated quietly, "but I had a choice to make."

* * *

><p><strong>TBC… <strong>

* * *

><p><strong>.<br>**


	4. Through Other Eyes

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Kyo Kara Maoh.

**Pairings**: Yuuri x Wolfram

**Warnings: Shounan ai (boy/boy pairings), you have been warned. **

* * *

><p><strong>Our Once Upon a Time<strong>

**By V. Shalyr **

* * *

><p><strong>4. Through Other Eyes<strong>

Wolfram waited only long enough to hear the judge announce that he had passed before he was off, rushing past his fellow fire element wielding friends with only a quick wave and a hurried goodbye. He'd been annoyed when the final exam schedules had come out and he'd discovered that his and Yuuri's tests were to take place at almost the same time. He'd wanted to be there, damn it! He knew how hard his boyfriend—and he still felt lightheaded at finally being able to call him that—had been working and he wanted to be there to witness the results.

It felt like almost the entire school had gathered at the largest of the school's four arenas where the water element users were taking their exams. Wolfram pushed, shoved, and elbowed his way through the throng, in too much haste to bother with politeness. And really, everyone was too engrossed in the goings on in the arena to be bothered by the slender youth weaving his way among them.

He finally squeezed into the front row of spectators just in time to see Yuuri momentarily wrapped in sapphire light before water lashed out around him, thickening and twisting upward into a pair of massive water dragons.

Wolfram held his breath as the sky darkened and lightening struck like tongues of white fire through blackening clouds. It looked like the duel might have gotten a bit out of hand. The storm was almost always a prelude to disaster. But to his relief, the twin dragons halted their attack mere moments before the judge would have been swept away. The man stared wide-eyed into the dragons' fierce eyes for several long, tense moments before he relaxed and smiled, giving his student a very ecstatic thumbs-up.

"Yes!" Wolfram cheered along with everyone else as Yuuri let the water dissolve and stood there with that idiotic smile of his plastered on his face.

He shook the judge's hand and nodded in acknowledgement when the man told him that he'd passed and then abandoned all dignity in favor of jumping up in the air and whooping for joy. He'd done it! He'd passed the exams for mastery of elemental magic and just in time. All those extra lessons and hard work, all that studying of past Maohs and their experiences with their powers, not to mention that trip to the mountain springs, had paid off in full.

It hadn't been calm that he'd needed, or at least not the kind of calm that all his teachers had talked about during classes in the past. No, Yuuri had found that when it came to his powers, what he needed was emotion—strong, clear emotion—and resolve. Because when it came to his Maryoku, his element was anything but calm, less like a lake and more like the raging, implacable, storm-tossed sea. It was really no surprise that such power took something other than just calm to control.

_Why do you want to be able to control this power? _

He hadn't really thought about it until the "other him" had asked him that question at the spring. And suddenly, "because it was expected of him" hadn't seemed like a very good answer at all. Because he was going to be the king, but what did that mean really?

_What kind of king do you want to be? _

That had been his mother's question all those years ago when they'd first received notice from the Temple of his appointment as Shin Makoku's next Maoh. But Yuuri had no better idea of the answer now than he had back then. Sure, he had been taking lessons and preparing for the job ever since, but hardcore experience and studying would always be two different things. Those answers would have to come later when he had the experience to figure them out.

In the end, Yuuri had found his mind drawn back to one thing—or rather one person—in particular. And he wondered with some amusement what Wolfram would say if he knew he'd become the double black's resolve. Yuuri imagined that the blonde would profess to being quite irritated, seeing as he thought he was supposed to be the one protecting Yuuri, not the other way around. That was what soldiers did. But then as far as Yuuri was concerned, as the king, that was his job too. And besides, Wolfram seldom admitted it out loud but Yuuri knew he was always pleased when he felt that he was special to Yuuri somehow.

The roar of cheers and congratulations drowned out his musings and, still grinning like a madman, Yuuri ran to the side of the arena floor and pulled a startled Wolfram into his arms, kissing him full on the lips with all the other students and teachers looking on. In the background, Yuuri could hear clapping, catcalls, and laughter, but he couldn't find it in himself to care. Because he'd finally mastered his magic, they would be graduating in a week, and Wolfram was blushing an absolutely beautiful shade of pink in his arms, embarrassed but dreadfully happy nonetheless.

And another few weeks after graduation, Yuuri would be turning ninety, at which point he would officially be taking up the title of Shin Makoku's 27th Maoh. All the preparations that had to be done almost made Yuuri's head spin, but he'd sworn to himself that he'd see it all through. First thing was first. He had some very important people he had to see.

.

Lord Gwendal von Voltaire glared across his paperwork at the raven-haired young man seated in the chair opposite him. He didn't care if this—this—_boy _was going to be the next Maoh. He didn't care if he'd practically watched the two grow up together. He was _not _going to let him marry his baby brother.

"No."

Yuuri sighed mentally, though the determination on his face did not waver. Honestly, his intended's eldest brother had always scared him a little, but there was no way he would back down over this. Aside from the fact that Wolfram would never forgive him, he'd never forgive himself. Besides, he was going to be the king soon. He had to start taking charge, and if he couldn't even take charge of his own life, how could he expect to take charge of an entire kingdom?

"I'm asking you because you're his brother," Yuuri said slowly to make sure he was clear about this, "but I don't technically need your blessings. Lady Celi has already given me her permission."

Gwendal's lips pulled into a thin line turned down at the corners as he scowled. Of all the people his baby brother could have fallen for, why did it have to be the future king? Anyone else would have been easier to deal with. The double black was practically as stubborn as Wolfram, and there was his rank to consider—not to mention the wellbeing of the kingdom.

"Then why seek me out at all?" he asked sourly.

There were a lot of reasons really. Because he and Gwendal would have to work together a great deal in the future, because he respected the man and his abilities, but mostly, "Because you're important to him."

The older man's expression seemed to freeze for a moment then it finally softened—just a little. Fundamentally, he supposed he knew that the boy's heart was in the right place. And he'd already done some good for the kingdom, even though he had yet to officially take command. It was due to Yuuri and his friends' hard work that there was now a preserve in the mountains for dragons, its first two inhabitants being the mother and infant they had rescued during that poacher incident that still had Gwendal cringing inside when he thought about what could have happened. It was just—it was just that this was _his baby brother _he was talking about giving away at the altar, even if it was going to be to the king.

Yuuri watched the struggle going on behind the older man's eyes and felt a twinge of sympathy. Wolfram had spent so much time with the Shibuyas that he was practically already part of the family in everything but name. But to Gwendal, Yuuri probably seemed like nothing more than "that friend" his little brother so often spent time with that just so happened to be next in line for the throne after his mother retired. Even during the few times Yuuri had stayed over at the blonde's house—er, castle?—he'd only seen the earth Mazoku a handful of times, and never for very long. He knew Gwendal was a very capable soldier and key in the administrative work that kept the kingdom on track, but those very facts meant the man almost never had time for anything else. And face it, he wasn't all that good at expressing himself. About the most emotion Yuuri had ever seen on his face was when Günter or Anissina were with him, and the extent of those emotions tended to revolve around pained desperation and maybe a bit of fear.

"What did Conrad say?" Gwendal asked finally. He assumed, and rightly so, that Yuuri had already spoken to the other man. After all, between the two of them, Conrad was undeniably the more approachable.

Yuuri coughed. Actually, unbeknownst to Yuuri, Conrad had been standing outside the door when he'd gone to speak with Lady Celi. It had been a bit of a shock when he'd exited and come face to face with the man, considering how blank his expression had been at that moment. Luckily, Yuuri had gotten taller in the last decade so it wasn't as intimidating an experience as it could have been.

"_So, er, I guess you heard…?" _

Awkward.

Conrad had studied him for a long moment and then offered one of his usual encouraging if slightly strained smiles. _"Take care of him." _

There hadn't really been an "_or else_" in there, more of a "_please_" because he'd practically raised the fire Mazoku in question single-handedly, and Yuuri had smiled and replied that of course he would. And that had been that, no drama, no threats, but significant nonetheless.

Gwendal seemed to deflate a bit at this. He had to admit, however grudgingly, that he knew Wolfram loved this boy. He'd be overjoyed if—_when_—the double black proposed. And honestly Gwendal didn't want to be the one who got in the way of that—partly because, if he ever found out, his temperamental little brother would probably try his best to burn him to a crisp despite being more than a bit scared of him, and partly because he really did care about him even if he didn't show it in the ways Conrad did.

"Do you love him?"

Yuuri paused for a moment, taken aback by the sudden question, then smiled. It was one of the few things he was absolutely sure about sometimes. "Yes, I do. Very much."

After the double black had gone, Gwendal sat behind his desk staring pensively out the window at nothing in particular. He didn't respond when a soft knocking came at his door and Conrad hesitantly let himself in. He took in the expression on his elder brother's face and smiled a little.

"I assume his Highness has just spoken to you on his upcoming plans?"

For a long moment, the older man didn't respond, his features so still it seemed almost as if he hadn't heard. And then he said so quietly that Conrad almost didn't catch it, "Am I doing the right thing?"

Conrad knew that the question wasn't really about the upcoming engagement, not exactly. He'd had similar questions himself, standing outside his mother's rooms listening to her squeals of delight and running through all the memories of the time he'd spent with his little brother. Wondering if he'd raised him right, wondering if he could have made more time for him, wondering if there was anything else he should have told or taught him. But he didn't say any of this; they weren't the kind of thoughts that you could really put into words.

Instead, Conrad said, "He's a good young man and I believe that he'll become a great king. Yozak tells me that the commoners believe so too, the ones who've met him."

"He seems a bit too easygoing to me."

"That's why Wolfram will be a great help to him. They balance each other in their own way, and I know Yuuri will take good care of him."

Another long pause and then Gwendal sighed. If this was what it always felt like when children grew up, he never wanted to have any kids.

.

Wolfram prowled about Blood Pledge Castle in a foul mood. Everyone had been acting so _strange _lately and nobody would explain why. His mother kept staring at him with this gleeful smile that made him feel like finding some out-of-the-way closet to hide in until whatever had caught her fancy went away. Half the time, Conrad smiled at him like he knew some wonderful secret that Wolfram didn't, and the other half he looked like someone close to him was about to die. And Gwendal, Wolfram wasn't even sure what was going on with Gwendal. His semi-permanent scowl seemed even deeper than usual with a hint of something sour.

Wolfram had thought that graduating would mean… Well, starting to go on patrol perhaps, or getting to spend more time with Yuuri with classes no longer part of their daily schedules. But somehow, things weren't working out that way. Yuuri was even busier than ever with preparing for his upcoming birthday and coronation, and even though Conrad took Wolfram out with him on patrols, no one seemed to want to let him go on missions of his own. Not that he'd have the time either, since Gwendal had called him into his office and announced that he'd be taking extra lessons from Gwendal himself—lessons concerning the finer details of how the kingdom functioned and the politics that bound all the neighboring countries together.

The last thing Wolfram had wanted was to get assigned more lessons after graduation. But when he'd protested, his eldest brother had given him such a glare that he'd immediately shut up.

About the only person that _didn't _seem to be acting strangely around him in some way or another was Yuuri's mother, Jennifer, which in turn led to Wolfram spending more and more time with her as everyone else grew busier and busier with the coronation drawing closer by the day.

Making up his mind, Wolfram turned his feet away from the direction of the dining hall where lunch was probably being laid out and headed towards the stables. He was going to visit _Mama_. And maybe if he was lucky, he'd be able to see Yuuri there too.

Jennifer was in the kitchens when Wolfram finally arrived at the Shibuya mansion. Even though they were perfectly capable of hiring cooks, she liked to make their meals herself. It was a sort of hobby, and perhaps one of the ways she kept herself connected to who she had been before she'd married when doing these things had been a necessity rather than a choice.

"Oh, Wolfie dear!" she greeted him brightly when she spotted him in the doorway. "Come help Mama stir this so it doesn't burn while I finish preparing the other dishes, okay?"

The aroma that reached his nose was wonderful as Wolfram took the ladle and began carefully to keep the contents of the large pot from sticking to the hot metal. Everyone loved Jennifer's famous curry and he was no exception. His stomach growled loudly and he coughed, embarrassed.

Jennifer only smiled. "Just give me a few more minutes and we can have some lunch. The boys are out right now but we can all have dinner when they get back. You can stay for dinner, can't you?"

Wolfram nodded, trying not to seem too disappointed at the news that Yuuri wasn't home. It felt like they'd hardly had any time to just sit down and even eat a meal together since the celebration dinner after their graduation ceremony. Surely coronation preparations couldn't take _this _much time. Unless there was some reason he didn't want to spend time with him anymore? Had he done something to upset him? He—he wasn't having second thoughts after that kiss in front of the school, was he? That had gotten quite a huge reaction from everyone, both good and bad; Wolfram knew that even if he hadn't paid much attention to it all. Yuuri had always cared more than he did about what other people thought.

His stomach twisted horribly at the thought and he stared into the bubbling curry, worrying at his lower lip. He hardly noticed when Jennifer directed him to a small table in the kitchen and ladled out two bowls of curry for the both of them.

"Wolfram? Wolfie, is something wrong?"

Emerald eyes lifted to her concerned gaze then looked away. "Is…Yuuri avoiding me?"

Jennifer blinked, startled. "What? Why would you think that?"

"It's just that we've barely spoken to each other in the last couple days. He's always so busy and…" He trailed off, prodding at his curry.

"You're thinking too much," Jennifer assured him, understanding finally dawning on her face. "He's just got a lot of things on his mind right now. It's going to be a very important day for him and he wants to make sure everything goes right. After all, it's going to affect the rest of his life—all of our lives. It's his birthday, but he's also going to be taking on a whole lot of new responsibilities."

Considering this, the blonde shook his head vigorously and squared his shoulders. Of course it was going to be a big day. Yuuri was going to be the king. He was being selfish because he wasn't happy with the way things had been going. But perhaps there were reasons for it all that he just didn't know yet. Patience had never been one of his virtues, but he'd try.

Though now that that was decided, it brought up a whole new problem. With the coronation, he'd practically forgotten that it was also going to be Yuuri's birthday.

"Do you know what I should give him?" Being from fairly well-off families, it wasn't like either of them ever really needed anything. And on top of that, Yuuri was a fairly simple person when it came to life in general. It was one of the things Wolfram liked about him, but also made gifts difficult to plan. Funny, one would have thought it should make things easier.

Jennifer beamed. "Oh, you don't have to buy him anything. All you have to do is wear something nice and make sure you're there—and say yes."

Wolfram blinked in confusion. "What?"

Oops. Oh, she never _had_ been good with secrets. "It's nothing! Why don't we go shopping for what you're going to wear? This lovely little shop just opened downtown and I still haven't had a chance to go in. And well, it's just so boring to go shopping by myself."

"I'd be happy to." Wolfram never did understand why neither of her sons liked to go shopping with her. He never got to do anything like that with his own mother. And last time they'd gone out, she'd bought him a really nice nightgown.

Jennifer smiled, happy at the idea of an entire afternoon with one of her sons—well, he wasn't _technically_ her son _yet_, but she'd never been big on technicalities. Though there was this strange niggling in the back of her mind that told her she'd just made a big mistake. It wasn't until they actually arrived downtown, however, that she remembered why it wasn't such a good idea. Fortunately, she was quick on her feet and being spontaneous suited her nature anyway.

.

"What about this one?"

Yuuri paused to glance at the ring Shori was pointing to in one of the display windows along the street they were currently slowly progressing along. It was gold and quite beautiful but, "It's a bit too flashy. He wouldn't like it and I don't either."

His brother considered this for a moment then shrugged. "You know best, I suppose. But are you sure this is what you want to do?"

Yuuri scratched the back of his head, a little embarrassed but his chin high with determination nonetheless. "I know it's not customary, but I like the idea. Besides, I like that it'll be a bit different."

Shori nodded, giving the tray of rings a last survey before continuing on their way. When his little brother had his heart set on something, nothing was going to change his mind. He'd certainly grown up a lot over the years. And Shori found it just a little bit amusing and disturbing how much his relationship with the blonde fire wielder had changed him—changed them both. But maybe that was what true love did for people, helped them grow up, helped them find their way and become more certain of themselves. It made him a little sad because neither of them needed him to take care of them anymore, but also a little proud because he'd been there with them the whole way much as Conrad Weller had. He wondered if this was how the other man felt too.

"Do you even have any idea what color you want the stone to be? It might help narrow things down."

"Blue or black."

Well, that was a start. He should have asked earlier.

Almost at the street corner, Yuuri paused again before a small but very well furnished Shop, its windows devoid of all goods save for a single pendant in the shape of two falling leaves. "This place looks promising," he murmured, reaching for the door. "Let's go in."

Before he could enter, however, Yuuri glimpsed a flash of gold out of the corner of his eye. Startled, he jerked his head around for a better look. He could have sworn he'd just seen his mother pulling Wolfram into one of the shops further down the street. He could feel his heart rate speeding up, both because it felt like forever since he'd seen his angel and because he'd really wanted all this to be a surprise and if Wolfram saw him right now he'd almost definitely take it the wrong way.

"Hey, are we going in?" Shori's question snapped him out of his panicked daze and Yuuri all but flung the door open and jumped inside. His brother stared, only just raising his own hand in time to prevent the door from swinging back and smacking him in the face. Little brothers could act so strange sometimes. Maybe it was a good thing after all that they would all be moving on.

Their own lives. Their own problems.

.

Wolfram yelped in surprise as Jennifer suddenly grabbed him and dragged him into one of the various clothing stores lining the street.

"Look at these! Aren't they adorable?" she exclaimed, latching onto one of the more acceptable racks of clothing within. To her credit, she could find tasteful clothing in pretty much any store she entered, so it wasn't a complete charade. Picking out half a dozen outfits in one breath, she shoved them all into Wolfram's arms and ushered him towards the changing rooms in the back. "Go try these on, dear, and make sure you show me each one."

"But, Mama—" This was a women only clothing store. And the shop assistants were giving them funny looks.

"Please? For me?"

Staring into her sincerely pleading eyes, the blonde caved. It wasn't like it really bothered him, and if it made her happy.

Once she was sure Wolfram was safely out of sight, Jennifer hurried to peek out the shop window. That had been so close! She was almost sure that Yuuri had seen them but the important thing was that Wolfram hadn't seen Yuuri. She hadn't considered that they'd be in the same area downtown! This was going to be a very tiring shopping trip.

Wolfram had gone out shopping with Yuuri's mother many times in the past, but as far as he could remember, it had never been quite so—hectic. Sure she had always been easily distracted, but this seemed downright insane. They hadn't even reached their original destination and they had already visited more than a dozen stores, not all of which sold clothes. At least the produce market made sense since they'd just been cooking, and he might have found the weaponry place interesting if it weren't for the fact that his current sword was a gift from his brother and he had no wish to replace it. But a flower shop? And a pet store? He hadn't been aware that she even liked pets and he'd been sure it was always her husband seeing to the gardens plus the handful of other mansion servants. Even if she _had_ taken up gardening, Wolfram would personally not have chosen cacti.

By the time they finally returned to the Shibuya mansion, all he wanted to do was collapse on something soft and sleep until dinner. Still, he helped Mama unpack everything they had bought before succumbing to the urge to sit down. Jennifer looked exhausted too, and that was definitely a first. It was nice to know he wasn't the only one.

The next thing he knew, gentle hands were shaking him awake. "Wolf? Hey, Wolf, Mom said that dinner's ready."

The sleep-blurred image above him resolved itself into Yuuri's grinning face and Wolfram blinked a couple times. He must have fallen asleep. Sitting up, he gave the double black a hug then pulled away and punched him in the arm. "How dare you ignore me for an entire week! Do you have any idea how worried I was? I thought—I thought,"—okay, so maybe the idea of Yuuri finding someone else _was_ more than a little ridiculous now that he was here in person again—"never mind what I thought. Would it really have been so hard to get to the castle and see me once in awhile?"

Yuuri winced, rubbing at his arm and donning a look of sincere regret. "I'm sorry. I've been busy but I promise I'll make it up to you."

He really hadn't meant to ignore him. Time just went by so fast when you had things you had to do. One thing always led to another and, before he knew it, one day had already bled into the next. When he _had _had time, Wolfram had always been with Gwendal getting extra lessons the stoic man believed important for someone who would one day have to help run the kingdom. That, Yuuri reflected, was probably indirectly his fault .He himself had already been studying these matters in detail ever since his appointment had been announced by the Temple. Wolfram had a lot of catching up to do, especially with how much he'd always hated the subtle ebbs and flows of politics. He'd considered abducting his angel from the castle for an evening alone, but had reluctantly dismissed the notion for fear that Gwendal would try to kill him.

Needless to say, he'd been very happy to arrive home and discover said angel asleep on the main sitting room couch.

Wolfram sniffed. "You're forgiven. Now let's go eat. I'm starving and we shouldn't keep Mama waiting."

He'd almost reached the door of the sitting room when a hand closed around his wrist. Yuuri tugged him into his arms and tilted his head down so he could brush a kiss across Wolfram's lips.

"I missed you too."

The blonde looked away but relaxed against him, letting his head rest briefly on a black-clad shoulder. He didn't say anything, but he was pretty sure that Yuuri understood.

_I missed you too. _

* * *

><p><strong>TBC… <strong>

* * *

><p><strong>AN: <strong>I hope the beginning cleared up any confusion from the previous chapter. ^_^

.


	5. To Give You a Ring

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Kyo Kara Maoh.

**Pairings**: Yuuri x Wolfram

**Warnings: Shounan ai (boy/boy pairings), you have been warned. **

**AN**: Ah, updating faster. I would love too, but unfortunately, I've been kind of stressed over a lot of things lately and it's been really hard to write much of anything. *sigh*

* * *

><p><strong>Our Once Upon a Time<strong>

**By V. Shalyr **

* * *

><p><strong>5. To Give You a Ring<strong>

Planning was important, everyone knew that. You had to be organized, to have a strategy so that you could get things done and done right. All of them had been taught from the moment they'd entered the Academy to the time they graduated about planning and organization and efficiency, which was why it was so damned _annoying_ for them to realize as they set out to make something of themselves that the world didn't work that way.

Real life didn't organize itself to fit into your plans and it didn't care about carefully constructed strategies or preset agendas. Of course that didn't mean that you stopped planning altogether. Plans were too useful, too _important_, especially in the grand scheme of things.

It just meant that plans could never be completely trusted, starting with the timing of things.

Real life planning rule number one—always leave time for unexpected delays…

.

Yuuri tugged just a tad nervously at the clasp of his cloak a blue so dark it looked almost black. His mother had wanted to make the cloak black like the rest of his clothes, but personally, one could grow tired now and then of such complete lack of color even if it was what the Maoh was supposed to wear. Yuuri figured that as the king, he had a right to choose to wear some blue if he wanted to as part of his royal attire.

"You ready?" Shori asked solemnly from the doorway.

Years ago, Yuuri would have just said no. No, he wasn't ready. He was nervous as hell and suddenly worried that everything was going to go wrong. What if he wasn't the right person for the job after all? Was there anything else he should have done, anything he'd forgotten? What if Wolfram refused? What if he made a mistake? So much of—of _everything _was at stake here.

But this wasn't years ago.

This was here—_now_. And however anxious he was, he knew better than to let it show. Confidence had to begin somewhere and it might as well begin with the act; reality would follow, that was how it worked. People depended on him for that if nothing else. He had to believe—no, he _knew_—that everything would work out for the best.

"I'm ready," he assured him, straightening his shoulders and feeling a twinge of pride that his voice sounded just as calm as he'd wanted it to. "Let's go."

Both the castle and the grounds outside sparkled with myriads of lights. On Lady Celi's insistence, the coronation ceremony was being held at her original family castle, though other celebrations would simultaneously be taking place at the capitol city per custom. Yuuri had already put in an appearance there earlier in the day, but the real ritual had to take place at night and the party both before and after would be more private. At first, Lady Celi had wanted to hold the party on her yacht, but both her elder sons and Yuuri had very urgently and persistently talked her out of it. The last thing he needed was for Wolfram to get seasick.

Ignoring the murmurs that swept through the banquet hall when his presence was announced, Yuuri scanned the people gathered on and about the dance floor. His brow furrowed a little when he didn't spot the head of sunshine blonde hair he'd been searching for.

"Hey, Shori, do you see Wolfram? Shouldn't he have arrived by now?"

"Yes, he should have." His brother frowned, turning slowly to survey the hall as well. "Conrad isn't here either, or Yozak for that matter. I believe they were all arriving together."

Yuuri had just had time to start seriously worrying about this when a commotion at the door drew his attention. He would recognize that voice anywhere and sure enough, making his way through the people gathered about the entryway, he found Wolfram completely soaked and looking more than a bit annoyed.

"What happened?" Yuuri demanded. He waved off one of the servants who had come hurrying with towels, removing the water that drenched the new arrival with a flick of his wrist and adding it to one of the vases around the great hall.

Wolfram ran a hand distractedly through his now dry hair. "It's storming outside right now. It started so suddenly and some parts of the road are starting to flood. Then when we'd almost reached the castle grounds, we saw some suspicious characters hanging about the edges of the woods. Conrad took most of the men with him to investigate and sent me on ahead."

Yuuri grimaced inwardly. He'd wanted everyone to be there. Oh well, hopefully, Conrad wouldn't be long. The coronation ceremony traditionally took place at midnight so there were still a couple hours.

"Do you think they'll need help?"

"I don't think that will be necessary. They're most likely just bandits. We just didn't want to take any chances." Wolfram shook his head and sighed. Finally dragging his focus back to the present, he smoothed out the fabric of his dark blue coat a little self consciously and gave him an apologetic bow. "I'm sorry for being late, your Majesty."

"It's okay," Yuuri assured him hastily, "and please stop being so formal. I get enough of that from everyone else. I don't need you to start too."

"But you're going to be the king," Wolfram protested, just a little disapproving as Yuuri led him towards the refreshment tables. "You should start getting used to it."

"I know, I know, but not from you. It just feels weird coming from you."

.

…At least delays were easy to account for and, for the most part, required little damage control. There weren't a lot of things in the world that absolutely couldn't wait. Unaccounted for "incidents" were another matter entirely. They were the enemies of strategists everywhere and things that really skilled strategists learned to face with calm and quick feet.

Real life planning rule number two—be prepared for unexpected interruptions…

.

It was the explosions and shouts that alerted them that something had gone amiss. Seconds later, the doors were thrown open with enough force to have them rebounding off the walls. Windows shattered as other figures came crashing through them in a—Yuuri thought—overly dramatic but nonetheless effective display of force.

"Nobody move!"

A heartbeat of shocked silence followed this sudden outburst. Everyone stared at the intruders, taking in their ragtag collection of armor and weapons. Unkempt hair and mismatched clothes gave them the general appearance of common brigands, albeit oddly well armed ones. There were a good few dozen of them, more than enough to handle most normal dinner guests. Except that these weren't normal dinner guests and these particular dinner guests were _not _impressed.

Wolfram reacted first, throwing the goblet of wine he held into the nearest attacker's face before drawing his sword and lunging for him. Emerald eyes glinted with fury as he struck the man hard across the temple with the hilt. How dare these people interrupt Yuuri's party so rudely? He would have just slit the man's throat if it weren't for the fact that it seemed sacrilegious to spill blood during the Maoh's coronation. That and he knew Yuuri hated it when people got killed if it could be avoided.

As if his battle cry had been the signal, everyone else burst into motion. Those who had swords drew them while others grabbed for the knives that had been on the banquet tables or just resorted to their bare fists.

It took the strangers about thirty seconds to realize that they'd chosen to crash the wrong party. Some of the intruders turned out to be surprisingly skilled fighters, but they were no match for the best Shin Makoku had to offer. Unfortunately, this didn't prevent a great deal of damage from being caused to the banquet hall. The furniture weren't much of a match for the best Shin Makoku had to offer either. By the time all the attackers had been rounded up and bound by a couple of Yuuri's water dragons, what had been a celebration in progress looked more like the aftermath of a drunken tavern brawl.

Gwendal cast their captives a disdainful glance as he returned from a round of the castle grounds, approaching the center of the mess where Yuuri was trying to get a distraught Günter to stop hyperventilating. It was a little irritating how the moment the danger was over, the silver-haired swordsman automatically lost any semblance of cool. More than anything, it was confusing how he could be so collected one moment and so panicked the next. Perhaps that was one reason the older Mazoku had retired from actually teaching.

"It seems like they used some kind of sleeping powder on the sentries outside, probably caught them by surprise."

All those guards would be assigned additional training when they awoke. Such performance was unacceptable, downright shameful in fact and on such an important night. The thought was enough to etch another wrinkle permanently into his brow.

Gwendal held up a tiny vial of what looked like white sand between his thumb and forefinger. "This crystal is very potent for conducting magic. "It's very high quality. Common bandits would never be able to get their hands on it."

Yuuri frowned. "But if they're not normal bandits, who are they?"

Wolfram nudged a sword that lay on the floor beside his foot. "Judging from their weapons, I'd say they're most likely deserters. Probably not from our army, but maybe one or more of our neighbors."

Deserters. Yuuri shook his head. Sometimes, it felt like there had been fighting along the borders for as long as the kingdom had existed. Battles were inevitable, that was how they had been taught. People fought over resources, over differences, over ideas and beliefs and customs. The important thing, then, was winning. But more often than not, Yuuri found himself wondering if there wasn't some better way. All the kingdoms had been at war for as long as anyone could remember, but to think that it would continue on this way so that it would continue to be what people remembered centuries from now—he couldn't help but find that thought depressing.

"What should we do with them?"

It took Yuuri a moment to realize that everyone was looking at him expectantly for the answer. Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly and straightened.

"Does this castle have any holding cells?"

Lady Celi coughed delicately. "Yes, but I'm afraid they're currently being used for storage. We do have an extra ballroom though that hasn't been used for awhile. It doesn't have any windows so it's never been a party favorite."

"Right, put them in there for now then and assign a few guards to watch them. Can we maybe use that sleeping powder?"

Gwendal nodded slowly,. "We found a few more bags of it on the intruders."

"Good then the guards can use that." If they were all asleep, it would minimize the chances of any further violence. "We'll decide how to deal with them after the ceremony."

Because it was already almost midnight and the last thing he needed was to be late to his own coronation ritual.

.

…On the bright side, the ritual itself went smoothly enough—if you discounted the fact that Murata Ken sent a last-minute notice with the priestess Ulrike to apologize and declare that it would be the priestess and not the Sage conducting the ceremony. Next time Yuuri saw him, he was going to give him a piece of his mind and then some. And to think Murata was always going on about the importance of appearance and tradition in the running of a country.

At first, Yuuri had planned on making his proposal in the great hall, but the atmosphere and decorations had been left a complete mess by the earlier attack. He'd also planned to ask with witnesses, but after all the ruckus and with several people distracted by clean-up and other resulting issues, the entire setting just didn't seem right. Granted, Yuuri would be the first to admit that he'd never been one for grandeur, so maybe this was just Fate's way of reminding him of this. Whatever the case was, he pulled Wolfram aside while everyone else was distracted and led the way out into the gardens. It would be just the two of them, but then deep down, perhaps he had to concede that he liked it better this way anyway.

Real life planning rule number three—don't persist on trying to salvage a plan if it's already obvious that it won't work out. Keep your goal in mind and improvise…

.

The storm had left as quickly as it had come, but evidence of its passing lay everywhere. Water droplets gleamed and dripped from the leaves of the trees and formed huge puddles between the flowerbeds. Some of the celebration decorations had been blown askew, though most of the lights remained lit and with the moon now visible in a clearing sky and all their reflections upon the glistening landscape, it formed a better picture than the new king had hoped for. Actually, it sort of reminded him of the night they'd first met. The thought made him grin just a little.

Yuuri stopped just inside the archway leading out onto the garden paths and took a deep breath, turning to face his companion. This was it. But now that the time was right, he wasn't sure how to begin. He was starting from scratch here after all, though really, that was entirely his own fault.

Emerald eyes were watching him full of concern. "Yuuri, is something wrong?"

Yuuri chuckled. Wrong? No, that wasn't exactly how he'd put it. Okay, it was time to collect his wits and make sure all the effort he'd put into this didn't go to waste. Besides, the longer he said nothing, the more nervous Wolfram was becoming.

"Hey, Wolf, do you remember what you said to me when we first met?"

Wolfram blinked in confusion for a moment then flushed red. He remembered all right, though it was more than a bit embarrassing to recall how naïve and childish he'd been. Still, even if his words had been naïve and childish, he'd never been able to regret saying them. Because over the years he really had grown to love the double black very much and—well, he was allowed to dream, wasn't he?

Green eyes flew wide in alarm when Yuuri abruptly knelt on one knee in front of him. "Yuuri, what do you think you're doing? You're the king! You should never—"

Groaning mentally, Yuuri got back to his feet and put a finger to his lips to silence him. "Just be quiet for a moment please and let me finish, okay?"

When he was sure Wolfram wasn't going to interrupt him again, Yuuri knelt once more and took his hand. "Wolfram von Bielefeld, will you marry me?"

Wolfram stood frozen in shock for several long, agonizing seconds in which black eyes peered a little anxiously at him before dropping to his own knees so he could throw his arms around Yuuri's neck. "Of course I will, you idiot, don't scare me like this. You're acting weird, and you know this isn't how you're supposed to propose—"

He stopped when Yuuri put a gentle finger over his mouth again. "Sorry, I'm not quite done yet." Pulling something out of his pocket, Yuuri took his partner's hand again, examining the pale, slender fingers. "Ah, let me see, it's supposed to go on this one." As he said it, Yuuri carefully slipped a gold ring onto the fourth finger of the blonde's left hand. A single gemstone gleamed up at them, a deep translucent gray that was almost black. "There," he smiled happily, "now it's official."

Wolfram's brow furrowed in confusion. This wasn't making any sense at all. "Yuuri?"

"It's called an engagement ring," Yuuri explained patiently. "I read about it in a book—you know, one of those special ones in the library that are supposed to be from another world, one where humans and Mazoku all live together in harmony and there aren't as many wars. I thought it would be more romantic. But I can slap you also if you want."

"No, that's okay." Wolfram had always thought that the business about those books being from such a world was a lie—how could a world possibly be that peaceful?—but he was touched that Yuuri had put this much thought into this. And looking at the ring the double black had slipped on his finger, he had to agree that yes, it did seem a lot more romantic if less traditional. Who needed tradition anyway? "Thank you, Yuuri."

"For what?" Grinning madly, Yuuri stood and pulled the other up with him and into his arms. "You're the one who just agreed to marry me."

Wolfram rested his cheek on his shoulder, hiding his own smile in the collar of the double black's coat. So that's what Yuuri's mother had meant by saying yes. "I assume you told my mother?"

"I did. I had to ask for her permission after all."

"Do Conrad and Gwendal know?"

"Yes, I was afraid they'd try to kill me."

"They wouldn't," Wolfram said with a certainty that Yuuri would have liked to share back when he'd been facing Lady Celi's two elder sons.

Before anything more could be said, however, they were interrupted by the patter of running feet. A soldier slid to a halt in front of them, stumbling into a bow and trying not to show his embarrassment at having caught the king and his intended sharing an obviously intimate moment. "I'm sorry for intruding, your Majesty, my lord, but the Temple is asking for the both of you."

The newly engaged couple exchanged uneasy glances. When the Temple asked to see people, it was seldom ever a good thing. There was whatever business had kept Murata away from the ceremonies to consider too. Yet at the same time, for better or for worse, when the Temple asked for you, you went.

Yuuri sighed a little ruefully at having this moment cut short and having his plans altered yet _again_, but at the same time, the slightly idiotic smile on his face refused to go away. This was _not _how he'd wanted the night to go. The bandits still being held prisoner back in the castle's extra ballroom were an unpleasant reminder of that. But what was important was that in the end, he'd finished what he'd originally set out to do.

When it came to making plans for real life, regardless of what came afterwards, that was the only thing that really mattered.

* * *

><p><strong>TBC… <strong>

* * *

><p>.<p> 


	6. Another World

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Kyo Kara Maoh.

**Pairings**: Yuuri x Wolfram

* * *

><p><strong>Our Once Upon a Time<strong>

**By V. Shalyr **

* * *

><p><strong>6. Another World<strong>

Murata Ken, newly named Great Sage at the Temple of the Original King, stood frowning at the ghostly figure reclining upon the steps leading into the inner temple. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

Shinou turned to grin at his Sage. "It's traditional."

"No, it's not. It's only ever happened once in the last several hundred years."

"It will be good for them and for this kingdom."

"Provided "this kingdom" doesn't have a heart attack when they disappear."

"Do you doubt my intentions?"

Murata adjusted his glasses and sighed. "No, I just wonder what you hope to accomplish by sending the new king away so suddenly after he's just been crowned."

"What I hope to accomplish…" The spirit of Shin Makoku's first Maoh looked thoughtful. "I suppose you could say that I want to show them a different kind of world."

"Is this a test?"

"Yes and no." Smirking, Shinou rose to his feet and gestured for Murata to follow him. To be honest, there were multiple reasons for his decision. Giving the new king and his fiancé a glimpse of another kind of life was only one of them, if an important one from a long term perspective. "Come, they're here."

"And you're sure they'll be able to find their way back?" the Sage persisted, unwilling to just let the matter drop. He disliked being kept in the dark, especially by this particular spirit.

But Shinou either didn't hear him or chose not to answer.

.

When Yuuri and Wolfram arrived at the Temple, a note on the door directed them towards one of the inner courtyards. This particular courtyard had a water fountain in it, Yuuri noted—a water fountain and nothing else.

"Where is everyone?" he wondered aloud, scanning the very obviously empty courtyard. They hadn't seen any of the Temple regulars on their way in either, which was definitely strange.

"This had better not be someone's idea of a prank," Wolfram muttered, resting a hand on the hilt of his sword and scowling. He didn't like the eerie feeling crawling up his spine. Something wasn't right here.

"Wolf, somehow, I don't think we're the kind of people that people tend to prank." Not if they valued their lives anyway, though perhaps that wasn't saying much with the insanity that seemed to run amongst some of their acquaintances. "And even if someone did dare to prank us, I don't think they'd be stupid enough to try it in Shinou's Temple."

"Maybe if it was someone in the Temple," Wolfram muttered, though he supposed Yuuri did have a point. "I still think we should leave."

Yuuri started to reply but stopped, turning towards the shadows between two of the courtyard pillars. Dark eyes narrowed. "Who's there?"

At Yuuri's question, Wolfram turned to face the same direction, drawing his sword and raising it defensively. For extra measures, he sent fire racing along the edges of the blade. He hadn't heard anything and he still couldn't see anyone, but he trusted the double black's senses. "Whoever you are, you'd better show yourself or else!"

But before he could make a move forward, the water of the fountain suddenly began to ripple. A mini whirlpool began to form, expanding outward rapidly. Not giving either Mazoku time to react, a sudden blast of power from the darkness sent them tumbling right into the waiting, churning water.

Yuuri had expected to find the stone tiles on the fountain floor right away, but instead, they fell deeper and deeper into what seemed like an endless ocean. He made a desperate grab for Wolfram, his fingers briefly grasping soft fabric before the force of the whirlpool tore them apart and threw them into blinding whiteness.

.

Cold.

That was the first sensation Wolfram became aware of as his consciousness resurfaced. He hated the cold and the way it ate into his bones as if trying to steal the fire inside him. And yet there was something different about this feeling, sluggish and almost soothing in its familiarity.

Forcing open his eyes, Wolfram found himself staring at a stretch of clean sand. He was lying on what appeared to be the shore of a vast lake, half submerged in the shallows as if he'd been washed up there. The sun shone high and bright in the sky though he was sure it had been nighttime when they'd fallen into the water.

_They._

The realization hit him hard and he jerked up, casting around frantically for his companion. "Yuuri? Yuuri!"

Scrambling to his feet, Wolfram staggered along the lakeshore, ignoring his drenched clothes and the sand that clung to him. But try as he might, he couldn't find the double black anywhere and there were no signs that anyone but him had been lying in the sand. Had they been separated? Come to that, where the hell was he? There weren't any lakes like this near his mother's castle, Wolfram was sure of that. So how had he gotten here? Yuuri—he couldn't still be in the water could he?

Trying to squash down his growing panic, Wolfram was just about to run back into the water to search when a shout drew his attention to a path leading through the trees that surrounded the lake on one side.

"Hey, you over there!"

The brown-haired man waved at him, hurrying across the dunes. Despite the high sun, the man wore a loose, short coat of some thin, wrinkly, orange material Wolfram would have thought would clash with the color blue. And yet the blue of the man's pants defied this notion, rough and slightly dusty though they were from trudging through the woods. And those shoes. Suffice to say, Wolfram had never seen clothes like his before. The blonde took a wary step back when he came to a halt in front of him, painfully aware that his sword had gone missing between their visit to the Temple and his waking up on this beach. He must have dropped it when they were attacked in the Temple, or maybe the better word would have been "pushed".

"So you must be the cause of the disturbance," the man said cheerfully, regarding Wolfram with open curiosity. "Our surveillance equipment picked up on a portal in the lake and a visitor. Judging from the state of your clothes, I'd say you fit the bill."

"What are you talking about?" Wolfram demanded, not understanding this at all. "Where am I and who are you?"

"You don't know?" The man frowned a little. "I guess that means you didn't mean to come through the portal, huh? You're on Earth."

_Earth_. Where had Wolfram heard that name before? Of course it was the name of an element, but that didn't seem to be what the man meant. Earth…

When the answer finally hit him, Wolfram's mouth fell open in shock. Impossible! That other world those books Yuuri was so fond of were supposed to be from—_Earth_. Yes, he could remember the old librarian telling him about it when they'd first run across those books in the castle archives. Wolfram had thought the old man had made all that up about the other world, scoffing at the very idea. It looked like he owed him an apology when he got back—_if_ he got back. He didn't even know how he'd gotten here to begin with. And Yuuri…

"Oi, you okay?" The man regarded him with growing concern the longer he stayed silent.

Lunging forward, Wolfram grabbed the front of the taller man's coat and shook him urgently. "You said I came through a portal. Did anyone else come through the lake with me? There were two of us. We fell into the water together."

"Hey, calm down," the man said, alarmed, lifting his hands in a defensive manner. "I'm sorry but there was just one signal, which means you're the only one who came through this portal." He continued hastily, grabbing Wolfram's arm before the blonde could turn and run back into the lake. "But this wasn't the only portal our equipment picked up. It's entirely possible that your friend ended up arriving through one of those. We've had a lot of problems with…well, a lot of things lately though, so this was the only portal that we could be completely sure of."

Wolfram bit at his lower lip. If that was the case then Yuuri had to be somewhere else in this world.

His companion put a hand sympathetically on his shoulder. The blonde teenager seemed greatly distressed as well as lost. "Why don't you come back to headquarters with me and we'll try to sort all this out."

Mutely, Wolfram nodded. It didn't seem like he had a choice.

.

Yuuri was _not_a happy demon king.

He had opened his eyes after falling into the whirlpool to find himself standing alone in the rain. The towering buildings that lined either side of the street were nothing like any buildings he had ever seen before, and while trying to find someone to explain where he was, he'd almost been run over by a huge, horseless, metallic carriage. When he did manage to intercept some passers-by, they were usually either too busy to stop and answer him properly or looked at him like he was crazy. On top of that, he seemed to have lost his fiancé. The thought of Wolfram being lost in a place like this was even worse than being lost in it himself.

Sighing, Yuuri peered out from beneath the awning of a brightly lit shop, watching the rain fall. He hoped that Wolfram was all right, wherever he was. He hated it when it was cold, unsurprising all considered he was a fire Mazoku. Though he'd told Yuuri once that he no longer hated the rain. The double black didn't think he'd be arrogant in claiming the credit for that. The thought made him smile, but the smile disappeared a moment later. He really had to find him before anything bad happened.

Yuuri was just about to head back out into the storm when the shop door beside him opened and a middle-aged woman emerged, her arms full of grocery bags. She gasped when she spotted the soaked double black and almost dropped her purchases.

"Oh my, are you okay, young man? You'll catch a cold if you wander around in weather like this! Do you need a ride home?"

Yuuri laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Um, I'm afraid I'm not from around here and I'm rather lost. I don't really have anywhere to go."

Somehow, he didn't think she could give him a lift back to Shin Makoku. If he had to guess, and he had pretty good instincts, he'd guess that he had somehow landed in another world.

"You poor boy." The woman frowned. "Well, we can't have you getting sick in this rain. If it's okay with you, you can stay at my house for awhile—at least get into some dry clothes. I was just heading back to make dinner."

Yuuri nodded politely, offering a grateful smile. "I'd appreciate it, thank you. I'm sorry for being such a bother."

"Oh, it's no trouble at all. Akai and Akami will be happy to have a guest anyway. Come on, luckily, my car's not that far from here."

The "car" turned out to be one of the metal vehicles Yuuri had previously seen roaming the streets. He hesitated for a second before getting into the seat beside the driver, but she seemed like a good woman and he didn't think she meant any harm. Besides, if there was trouble, he always had his Maryoku. And all his senses grew even sharper when it rained.

"So where are you from exactly?"

Yuuri considered this question for a moment, unsure how best to reply. Still, it didn't seem like there was any reason not to tell the truth. "Shin Makoku."

The woman took her eyes off the road for a second to give him a bewildered look. "Shin Makoku? I've never heard of such a place. Is it a nearby district?"

"Ah, it's a kingdom, actually."

"A kingdom?" If anything, his companion seemed even more confused by this. "Are you sure? I didn't think we had kingdoms anymore."

Well, that was certainly different. If he hadn't known he was far from home before, he definitely knew now.

With a soft sigh, Yuuri leaned back in his seat and turned his head to peer out the window at the rain sheeting past the glass. "Would you believe me if I said that I'm from another world?"

The reaction he received wasn't exactly the reaction he was expecting. Instead of laughing or maybe asking if he had lost his mind, the woman's expression cleared and she smiled brightly.

"Oh, that would make sense then! But in that case, you'd better talk to my husband when he gets home. He knows more about these things than I do."

Yuuri turned his head back around to stare at her. "Huh?"

"He always said that his father's family came from another world. So maybe he'd know how you can get back to your kingdom. He's working late tonight, but don't worry. We can eat dinner first and he'll be back before you know it."

.

"You are from Shin Makoku, correct?"

Wolfram glared across the huge conference table at the black-haired young man seated at its other end. It was almost startling how many people in this world had ebony hair, though this man's eyes were brown as opposed to black like Yuuri's. Jamie—the man who had met him at the lake—had introduced him as the leader of this so-called "headquarters" which probably meant he was someone important. All the same, Wolfram wasn't at all sure he liked him and he tended to manifest his discomfort in the form of irritation.

"How do you know that?" Wolfram certainly hadn't told him.

"Well," the man—what had Jamie called him? Kimura?—drawled thoughtfully, "you're obviously not from this world and, on top of that, you're a full blooded Mazoku. Shin Makoku really is the only place you could be from. You see, there aren't a lot of full blooded Mazoku left in this world. One of those is our current Maoh, but he has been missing for several weeks now and we've been asking our ancestors for assistance. I had a dream some nights ago that told me some people would be arriving from the demon kingdom to help us."

Wolfram raised his eyebrows, inclined to believe that the man was a bit mad. He and Yuuri had heard of no such thing. As far as he knew, they'd been world-napped. No one had asked them for help with anything and ending up in this place had been an accident, hadn't it? Unless…

"What kind of dream was it?"

"Mm, there isn't really much to tell, though the man who spoke to me did bear a remarkable resemblance to you."

_Shinou_. Of course, he should have known. Who else would have the power or the inclination to send them to a place like this? Sometimes, Wolfram rather resented his resemblance to the old king.

"Fine then," Wolfram said reluctantly, "so if we help you find your Maoh, we'll be able to get home?"

"I would imagine so, seeing as only the Maoh has access to any Maryoku on Earth. It's one of the properties of this world that make it different from yours."

Great, so he didn't have his sword and now he didn't have any Maryoku either. Subtly, he gestured with his hand under the table and concentrated, just to check the truth of this. Sure enough, nothing happened. It was like trying to grasp at air. How did these people survive? No magic and he'd yet to see someone carrying any bows or swords or other weapons. How did they protect themselves? No wonder these people were having problems. As things stood, Wolfram wasn't liking this world at all.

Though come to think of it, perhaps if the Maoh here could use Maryoku, Yuuri as Shin Makoku's Maoh would be able to access his too.

"Of course, I'm not sure _how_ you can actually help us."

Wolfram bristled at the tone of his voice, but he had a far more important worry at the moment. Fixing the older man—well, he _looked_older, but Wolfram supposed that didn't mean very much in this case with him being half Mazoku—with a disgruntled but _slightly_less hostile gaze, the blonde leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest. "Before we talk about anything else, I want to find the other person who came through the portals with me."

Kimura nodded, that infuriatingly amiable and—in Wolfram's eyes—slightly condescending smile never leaving his face. "But of course. I'll organize the search parties right away tomorrow morning."

For a long time after the man had left, Wolfram remained in the conference room frowning at the tabletop. That was how Jamie found him.

"Hey, is something the matter? You look…" He trailed off, trying to find the right words. "Bothered."

Wolfram grunted but didn't reply.

"Why don't we talk about it over dinner? You haven't eaten anything since you arrived. You've got to be starving."

Wolfram opened his mouth to deny it, but just then his stomach gave a loud, unmistakable rumble. Embarrassed, he shut his mouth and stood up.

"This way. Since it's your first time here, I guess I'll just pick a restaurant. There's a nice place just down the street from here—pretty decent food and good prices."

"But I don't have any money," Wolfram protested. He hadn't exactly been expecting to need any for the ceremony, and he doubted the stores here would accept Shin Makoku coins anyway.

Jamie just waved him off. "Of course you don't. Don't worry about it. My treat."

Neither of them spoke again until they were seated at one of the corner tables in the small café. Jamie had picked the place both because it was close to headquarters and because the people who frequented the place were unlikely to question Wolfram's strange clothes or foreign appearance. Unfortunately, this didn't stop people from staring—not that Jamie could blame them. The blonde was really quite stunning, and even though he'd never thought the word "beautiful" particularly suitable for men, the Mazoku was just that.

Wolfram himself ignored all the stares in favor of examining the contents of his steaming platter, far too accustomed to the attention to take notice of it anymore. There was only one person he wanted that kind of attention from and that person wasn't here right now.

Jamie dug into his own order with gusto, finishing half of it before asking again, "So why the frown?"

"I don't like him." Frankly, Kimura gave him the creeps. Wolfram always found himself wondering what lay behind that smile of his. It reminded him of the politicians back home, only worse because he hadn't had to deal with them himself.

Jamie shrugged and chuckled at his bluntness. "He can come across as a bit…well, hard to read. Don't let it bother you. He really doesn't mean anything by it. It comes from being the kind of businessman he is."

"Businessman?" Wolfram repeated, puzzled. "I thought he worked for your Maoh."

"Oh, he does, but you see, we don't have kingdoms here like you do. In our world, his Majesty is more the head of a—ah—great organization. We do business in all sorts of different areas, and at the same time, provide services, support, and regulation for people with Mazoku blood."

So the kingdom as a sort of giant economic corporation and service company? Wolfram shook his head, taking another bite of the food on his plate. This really was a very strange world.

.

Yuuri sipped from the warm cup of tea in his hands, regarding the two children perched on the chairs across the table from him with amusement. The twins Akai and Akami certainly looked very much alike, both with pale brown hair and hazel eyes full of curiosity set in features still rounded by youth. Yuuri presumed that they took after their father, as opposed to their mother's darker complexion.

Squaring his shoulders, Akai leaned forward on the table to scrutinize Yuuri's features. "Are you really a demon? Only Daddy says his father was a demon from another world."

So these two _did_ have a little Mazoku blood. Yuuri had thought as much when he'd first laid eyes on them after stepping into the house. He was starting to think more and more that he did know where the whirlpool had sent them after all. Only this place wasn't exactly how he'd imagined it from reading all those books.

"Would it surprise you if I told you that I am?"

The little boy considered this for a moment, his entire face scrunching up in thought. "No. We didn't believe Daddy when he told us at first, but then we met Grandfather. He looks even younger than Daddy now."

"He does, huh? Well, that makes sense. We Mazoku age five times slower than humans."

Akai's eyes went wide. "So how old are you then?"

Yuuri chuckled. "I'm about eighteen from a human perspective. Would you like to do the math?"

Akai went cross-eyed, muttering under his breath. Then his mouth fell open in disbelief. "You've got to be kidding me. You're ninety? But—that's ancient! You're _really__old_."

The double black coughed lightly, unsure whether he should feel offended by this comment. He wasn't old! But he could see how a mostly human boy would think so. From a Mazoku perspective, human lives always seemed so brief. And yet they managed to get through so much in the time they were given. While Mazoku matured and lived their lives for five times as many years, they also did so five times slower than their shorter-lived counterparts.

"Do you have a girlfriend?" Akami asked suddenly. Yuuri opened and shut his mouth, completely losing his train of thought.

"What?"

Her brother smacked a hand to his forehead. "What kind of question is that to ask someone? Sorry about her, Shibuya-san, just ignore her. She's always like that when we meet new guys."

Yuuri laughed. "It's okay." Turning to the little girl, he smiled kindly. "And no, I don't have a girlfriend. My fiancé would be very upset."

Akami looked momentarily disappointed, but brightened up almost at once. She'd never been one to dwell on disappointments. "Is she pretty?"

"Ah, "she's" a "he" actually. And yes, he's very beautiful."

Yuuri knew for a fact that he wasn't the only one who thought so. Wolfram had had more than the normal number of suitors before they'd made their relationship public, a fact that had annoyed Yuuri a great deal more than he liked to admit. Even Wolfram's infamous temper hadn't been enough to keep them away. At least the number of people openly pursuing the blonde's affections had decreased once it had become known that the two of them were together. There weren't a lot of people stupid enough to fight Yuuri over Wolfram's hand, especially not after having seen him on the practice fields. Yuuri was no slouch as a swordsman—well, not _anymore_anyway. Great teachers and countless hours of practice and determination had honed his skills to the point where he could fight even Conrad Weller to a draw. Wolfram had been extremely proud of him when he'd accomplished that. But of course, that wasn't the frightening part. The frightening part was that Shin Makoku's 27th Maoh was the most powerful Maryoku user the kingdom had ever seen, perhaps even rivaling the Original King himself. Even if Yuuri wasn't generally prone to being smug, he couldn't help but be secretly pleased about that. There had to be _some_advantages to being the king. Besides, he had worked incredibly hard to get to where he was! He rather thought that he'd earned the right to be a bit smug.

Yuuri's thoughts were brought back to the present by the sound of someone choking. "Hey, you okay?"

Akai nodded, slamming his juice cup down and grabbing for the napkins which his sister had calmly handed him. He turned a shocked gaze towards Yuuri.

"Your fiancé is a guy?"

The double black stared at him in confusion. "Yes?"

"But how is that possible?"

Yuuri was definitely confused now. "Why not? I asked him to marry me and he said yes."

"But it's not allowed."

Yuuri's confusion was rapidly changing into annoyance. Not allowed? That implied that there were rules. And by the sound of it, silly rules at that.

"I don't see what the problem is."

"Only guys and girls can get married," Akami explained, though she seemed a lot more curious than disturbed. "Or at least that's how it is in this country."

"That's ridiculous," Yuuri said firmly, frowning. Who had ever heard of a law like that? "Where I'm from, you can marry whoever you want. It doesn't matter if it's a woman or a man. Besides, just because someone is a man or a woman doesn't mean you automatically love them more or less. That's common sense."

Of course, Yuuri's mother was a bit of a romantic, but everyone in Shin Makoku, human or demon, understood the logic of _that_.

Akami cocked her head to the side, swirling the bright orange liquid around in her glass. "I agree with you, but not everyone in this world does. Most people don't, actually. But I guess people can just be strange like that sometimes. And people change."

Both her brother and Yuuri stared at her this time. She sounded like she'd put a lot of thought into the matter, or maybe other matters related to it. Perhaps she would become a philosopher when she grew up.

The slightly detached atmosphere her speech had created was broken by their mother's cheerful call from the kitchen. "Dinner's ready! Akai, Akami, come help Mommy carry the dishes over."

.

Wolfram lay awake in bed staring at the ceiling of one of the spare rooms in the building Jamie referred to as "headquarters". He couldn't sleep. It felt strange to be alone and these strange surroundings only added to his unease. These people seemed good enough, but he'd never given his trust so easily and he still couldn't shake the nagging anxiety in the back of his mind that kept all his senses on high alert as though he were sleeping in enemy territory. Rolling onto his side, he peered through the darkness of the room they'd given him at the closed door. Yuuri was also somewhere out there in this foreign world, somewhere beyond that door.

No, he couldn't just wait around for these people to help him, search parties come morning or not.

Mind made up, Wolfram threw the covers aside and hastened across the carpet, easing the door open and glancing down both sides of the corridor outside to make sure he was alone. He hadn't seen anyone carrying a sword since arriving in this world and he didn't have his own sword with him either, but maybe he'd be able to find a suitable knife or something in the kitchen. They had told him that people didn't use swords in this world anymore, much less carry them, and that it wasn't really necessary. But he just felt too vulnerable without some kind of weapon on him now that he knew he couldn't access his Maryoku in this place.

He was pretty sure the paper with the city map and the disturbance locations marked out was still on the meeting room table. He'd had a look at it with Jamie, Kimura, and several others when they'd gotten back from dinner. It was a bit confusing to read, but he'd manage somehow.

Whatever it took, he was going to find Yuuri.

.

Aizawa Tori, husband of Aizawa Minako and father of Akami and Akai, stared in surprise at the young man sitting in his living room. The house seemed almost too quiet with the twins already in bed. He had been held up at work for far too long, but right now, his mind was too full of other questions to dwell on wistful regrets.

"If you don't mind me asking, how did you get here?"

"To be honest, I'm not sure. My…friend"—Yuuri felt a bit cautious about mentioning that Wolfram was his fiancé after the incident before dinner—"and I fell through a whirlpool and just found myself here in the streets."

"That's strange."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, only the Maoh of each world has the power to send people across the border from one world to another. Could the Maoh from your world want you here for some reason?"

"Eh heh." Yuuri scratched the back of his head, smiling a little wryly. "I'm pretty sure he doesn't. But now that you mention it, we _were_ in Shinou's Temple."

"Shinou," he repeated the name, forehead wrinkled in thought. "You mean the demon kingdom's first Maoh? But… He's still alive?"

"Well, no, but his spirit still lives in the Temple." Noting the bewilderment on the man's face, Yuuri quickly changed the subject. "I need to find my friend first, but after that, we really need to find a way back to Shin Makoku. Everyone's got to be really worried."

And it really just wasn't a good idea for the king to suddenly disappear. Other kingdoms could start getting unhealthy ideas if they found out.

Tori nodded slowly. "Perhaps it would be best if we went to see the Maoh."

"Huh?"

"Earth has a Maoh too. He may be able to send you back home. He should be able to help you find your friend too."

"Ah, that would be great." Yuuri smiled in relief. Things were finally starting to move forward. "I guess I'll be retiring then. Thank you for letting me stay here. I greatly appreciate your hospitality."

"It's no problem. The guest room's usually empty anyway."

Despite what he'd told his host, however, Yuuri found that he couldn't sleep. After tossing and turning restlessly in bed for what felt like hours but had probably only been a few minutes, he threw the covers aside in frustration and stalked over to the window, pulling the curtains aside.

Tomorrow… Tomorrow morning, he'd be able to meet with this world's Maoh, find Wolfram, and find a way back to Shin Makoku. He'd been extremely lucky, running into a family so willing to lend him a hand—even more so, a family that knew about Mazoku and didn't question his declaration of being from another world. From what he knew of Earth, magic was scarce and those who believed in it even more so. Still…

Letting out his breath in a slow sigh, Yuuri drummed his fingers on the windowsill. He wondered what his angel was doing right now. He just didn't like the idea of him being lost somewhere out there by himself. Aside from the fact that Wolfram tended to stand out whether he wanted to or not, there was his temper to worry about and how he tended _not_to get along with people right away. But how to look for him when Yuuri was just as much a stranger here as he was?

Staring through the glass at the storm only just beginning to clear outside, Yuuri suddenly brightened. Of course! Why hadn't he thought of it before?

Pushing the window open, he took a deep breath. Concentrating, he held his hand out, a wisp of sapphire light glimmering about his fingers before taking the shape of a tiny dragon which instantly sprang skyward. Dark, slitted eyes followed its progress until it vanished into the clouds. Moments later, a light rain begins to fall once more, only this time, anyone out in the drizzle who knew what to look for would have felt the tingle of power upon their skin.

* * *

><p><strong>TBC… <strong>

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><p><strong>AN<strong>: Ah, sorry for the large number of OCs in this part. It was necessary since the Earth side needed characters. Also, I am choosing not to use Bob and his people since I don't feel like I know them well enough to write an AU with them (or anything else for that matter). Hopefully, it wasn't too confusing.

.


	7. In Sickness and Health

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Kyo Kara Maoh.

**Pairings**: Yuuri x Wolfram

**AN**: It's good to know people are liking the characters:)

* * *

><p><strong>Our Once Upon a Time<strong>

**By V. Shalyr **

* * *

><p><strong>7. In Sickness and Health<strong>

Okay, so maybe leaving his temporary residence in the middle of the night without telling anyone hadn't been the best idea in the world. Wolfram knew he was prone to being a little rash, especially when it came to his emotions, but it wasn't like that wasn't sometimes a virtue. He just hadn't counted on the storm or just how big and complex this city was. Who knew people could even build buildings _that_high?

Wolfram huddled in the doorway of one of these skyscrapers, clutching his soaked coat about himself and shivering despite his best efforts. He was tired, starting to get hungry, completely drenched, and—on top of everything—lost. If he hadn't been a fire Mazoku, he rather thought he might have frozen to death. As opposed to the knife hidden under his coat, he was starting to think he would have done better with an extra jacket. He'd hardly seen a single soul out in the streets aside from himself, and the weather pretty much canceled out any will people might have had for anything other than finding somewhere to hide from it. He wasn't sure how long he had been out here, but he could probably say "hours" without over exaggerating. The sky had been completely black when he'd started, but now he could catch traces of light beginning to paint their way across it. At least the fact that he was able to see the sky at all meant the storm had begun to clear up.

Or that's what Wolfram thought until the clouds suddenly began to darken again and he heard the first new water drops splash upon the ground.

Hold on a moment, the rain… Squinting emerald eyes, Wolfram examined the water now drifting from the sky, a gentle drizzle very unlike the earlier storm that almost seemed to shine when he looked at it in just the right way. That light—he knew that light and the creeping, tingling shivers that it invoked in him. This was no longer natural rain.

_Yuuri_.

So he'd been right and Yuuri _could_ use his powers even in this world. He was the one who had conjured this rain, he had to have been Wolfram was sure of it. He'd recognize this feeling anywhere. And breaking out into a real smile for the first time since he'd arrived on Earth, he stepped out into the feathery rainfall with renewed confidence and began walking again.

.

Several blocks away, Yuuri jerked awake and all but fell out of bed. Disentangling himself from the covers as quickly as he could, he dashed out the door and down the stairs, startling Tori when he pelted past the kitchen on his way towards the front door.

"Hey, where are you going?"

Skidding to a halt with his hand already on the door handle, Yuuri turned back towards him, surprised to see the man standing there with a newspaper in one hand and a mug of coffee in the other. He'd been in such a hurry that he hadn't even noticed his presence.

"Wolfram! I just sensed him. He's out there and I have to go find him!"

Tori blinked, his mind processing this information a little slower than it should have. It was way too early in the morning to be this awake. "Your friend? But how?"

"I don't have time to explain right now. But I promise I'll tell you when I get back."

That said, Yuuri unlocked the door and was about to go hurtling off outside when Tori stopped him yet again.

"Hold on, if you wait a second, I'll get the car and go with you. It'll be faster than going on foot. And anyway, it's still raining."

Yuuri hesitated then nodded, lowering his hand. Much as he didn't want to wait, the man had a point. And the last thing he needed was to find Wolfram only for the both of them to get lost again together.

Tori returned minutes later carrying two extra jackets, one of which he handed to Yuuri. "It's pretty cold outside. These are some of my old jackets. They might not be a perfect fit but they're probably better than nothing."

"Thank you."

Yanking the coat on gratefully, Yuuri followed him out to the car, sliding into the passenger seat and waiting impatiently for the driver to start the car. The moment they were out on the streets, he began to give directions, pointing down different streets as they came to each intersection. They had just stopped at a red light when Yuuri suddenly flung open the passenger side door and darted out towards the sidewalk. Tori had never seen anyone move so fast.

"Wolfram!"

Watching from inside the car and hoping the traffic light didn't suddenly decide to change, Tori saw a blond-haired young man pause and turn. Brilliant green eyes went wide in surprise for a moment then he was running too.

"Yuuri!"

Yuuri stopped and caught his fiancé in his arms, embracing him tightly. A moment later, Wolfram pushed away, looking guilty.

"You're freezing!," the double black exclaimed, half chiding and half relieved as he brushed a lock of sodden hair out of Wolfram's eyes. "Have you been out here all night? You're not hurt anywhere, are you?"

The blonde shook his head, pulling reluctantly away from him and looking guilty. "I got your clothes all wet."

"Don't worry about it. Come on." Taking his hand, Yuuri hurried them both back to the car, motioning for Wolfram to get in the back before following him. Shutting the door, he threw the second jacket over Wolfram's shoulders then gathered him close. Wolfram snuggled into his side, grateful for the warmth. He couldn't seem to stop shivering.

Tori blinked in confusion at the pair though he was forced to turn his gaze back onto the road a moment later as the light changed. He could have sworn the blonde's clothes and hair had been dripping before, but now he didn't even seem to be damp.

"Hey, you two okay back there?"

"Yeah, thanks." Yuuri shot him a grateful smile and Wolfram shifted in his arms so he could get a look at the man in the driver's seat. "Oh by the way, Wolf, this is Tori Aizawa. He and his wife were kind enough to let me stay at their house for the time being. And Tori, this is Wolfram von Bielefeld."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Tori greeted, turning in his seat to offer a smile as they were forced to stop at yet another red light.

Emerald green eyes examined him for a moment then nodded and slid shut. "Thank you for your assistance."

"Er, it's no problem. Glad we can help."

The remainder of the car ride passed in silence. Yuuri had called off the rain and the sky was clearing, but traffic remained slow due to the water that gathered in shallow pools upon the pavement. Every once in awhile, Tori would find himself watching the pair in the rearview mirror. The blonde one seemed to be almost asleep, leaning into his companion so much that he was practically sitting in his lap. Occasionally, Yuuri would murmur something to him and the blonde would mumble something in return, but even that petered off after awhile and the two seemed content just to be together again. At one point, Yuuri tucked Wolfram's head under his chin, his dark eyes half lidded as he watched the scenery passing by outside the window, his fingers stroking absently through silky, golden strands.

"He's not just a friend of yours, is he?" Tori asked, his voice quiet so as not to disturb the sleeping one.

Startled, Yuuri glanced over at him, carefully keeping his expression blank.

"I know that the customs are rather different over there," the man added, noticing his expression. "Grandmother used to tell me stories—probably still would if she lived here. I think she's somewhere in America right now though. Most of us with any noticeable amount of demon blood can't stay in one place for too long or people will start to notice that we age differently."

"That makes sense," Yuuri mused, his own voice equally low. "And you're right. Actually, right before we got sent to this world, I only just asked him to marry me." He paused then chuckled. "You could say that he's been waiting for me to ask for a very long time."

Tori nodded, his eyes flicking back towards the crowded street. "My congratulations. Although," he grinned a little, nodding towards the hand Wolfram was using to hold the oversized jacket about himself, "I was under the impression that engagement rings weren't used in Shin Makoku. Grandmother took a lot of pleasure from my disbelief on Mazoku proposal traditions."

"They aren't. I got the idea from several books we have about Earth."

"For something different?"

Yuuri nodded absently. "That, and… Well, this world just seemed so peaceful somehow. Back home, you can find soldiers pretty much everywhere. The borders are almost never safe, and there are the battles to worry about and the army to see to. Weapons are a common sight, and yet I don't think I've seen anyone carrying a weapon here yet."

Tori hummed thoughtfully, turning into his home neighborhood at last. "We have our problems too, but for the most part, I suppose it is pretty peaceful compared to yours. It wasn't always this way though, and it might not stay this way either. All we can do is try our best to make it last."

Once Tori had parked the car, Yuuri carried his fast asleep fiancé up to his room and tucked him into bed. He seemed so tired that Yuuri didn't have the heart to wake him, even if he did want to know what had happened to the blonde since his arrival. From what he'd been able to piece together, Wolfram appeared not to have slept at all, having spent all night wandering outside looking for him. It made the double black feel rather guilty even though there wasn't anything he could have done.

Granted, when he removed Wolfram's coat and boots and a kitchen knife clattered to the floor, Yuuri almost woke him up to make sure he hadn't used the thing on anyone. But he couldn't find any traces of blood anywhere on his clothes or the blade and decided he probably didn't need to worry about that. Besides, they would probably have heard something about it by now if there had been any violence nearby. Come to think of it, where had Wolfram gotten his hands on a knife? They'd have to be sure to return it. They didn't have any Earth currency so he couldn't have bought it.

Minako was cooking breakfast when he returned downstairs. She spotted him in the doorway and smiled warmly in greeting.

"Good morning, Yuuri-kun. I heard that you found your friend. I'm glad everything is working out. Will he be joining us for breakfast?"

"Ah, no, he's sleeping," Yuuri replied, returning her smile with a polite one of his own. "I don't want to wake him. If it's all right with you, can I bring some food upstairs?"

"Of course you can. I hope he's feeling all right."

Yuuri hoped so too. Frankly, he was a bit worried with how the blonde had still been shivering even under the blankets. "I'm a little afraid that he might have caught a cold wandering around last night."

Minako clucked her tongue sympathetically. "Give me a minute and I'll make some porridge then. Porridge is the best when you're feeling under the weather. Tori's just gone to wake the kids. I'll ask him to pick up some medicine when he takes them to school."

"Thank you so much. I don't know how we're going to repay you."

The woman just laughed. "Don't be silly. You're a nice young man and this isn't even your world. I'm happy to help. Besides, how often do you get to have guests from another world?"

Wolfram sat up slowly feeling lightheaded, and not in a good way. Taking a deep, steadying breath, he carefully turned his head to survey his new surroundings.

The room was small, at least compared with the rooms he was accustomed to at the castle, simply furnished with a single bed big enough for two and a writing desk. There weren't really any personal items or decorations, giving the place an unoccupied air—perhaps an extra bedroom or guest room.

Looking towards the door at the sound of soft footsteps, Wolfram was relieved to see Yuuri step into the room carrying a tray of steaming dishes. So he hadn't imagined all that. Closing the door with his foot, the double black turned and paused in surprise to find him awake.

"Hey, Wolf, are you feeling better?"

Wolfram nodded then stopped abruptly as the world spun. In the next moment, Yuuri was across the room, setting the tray on the corner of the desk and placing the back of his hand on Wolfram's forehead. His touch was cool and the blonde unconsciously leaned into it, closing his eyes and taking a careful breath to try and ease the dizziness.

"I think you might have a fever," Yuuri said worriedly. "You really shouldn't have been out in that storm."

Well, okay, so Yuuri had been wandering about in that storm for awhile too. But he was a water Mazoku. That was different.

"I had to find you in case anything happened," Wolfram grumbled, though he allowed Yuuri to stack several pillows behind his back so he could lean on them but remain seated. Secretly—or maybe not so secretly since he suspected that Yuuri knew somehow despite his protests to the contrary—he rather liked being pampered. "I couldn't sleep anyway."

His sweet, stubborn, silly, hotheaded, loyal fiancé. Shaking his head with a small smile, Yuuri reached out and picked up one of the plates with a bowl atop it, setting it in Wolfram's lap. "Here, our hostess said this is good when you're not feeling well. Eat something and then get some rest."

Accepting the spoon Yuuri handed him, Wolfram prodded at the soft, watery looking rice. It smelled a little bland, but that was probably for the best at the moment. Yuuri watched him take a cautious bite before picking up his own plate and digging in. They had almost finished when a soft knock came at the door.

"It's not locked," Yuuri called, and a moment later, Tori poked his head in.

"I'm sorry for interrupting, but I was wondering if you still want to go see the Maoh later today."

Yuuri glanced at Wolfram who had paused and put his spoon back down in his bowl then back at the other man. "It looks like today might not be a good day."

Tori nodded in understanding, but Wolfram cut in before he could speak.

"The Earth Maoh is missing. They told me when they found me at the lake." Both of the other occupants of the room looked at him and Wolfram continued. "They told me that they prayed for help finding him and Shinou sent us."

Yuuri opened then shut his mouth, thinking. Actually, that made a lot of sense in a…senseless kind of way. "Does that mean if we find their Maoh, Shinou will help us get back?"

"They said that their Maoh would be able to help us get back, and that only the Maoh of each world can create portals between the worlds." Green eyes looked meaningfully at Yuuri who just nodded, his expression thoughtful. So that meant if he could just figure out how, he could probably make a portal to get them back home too. Still, if these people needed help, Yuuri saw no reason not to try their best.

"We'll go see these people as soon as you're well."

Tori coughed. "Shall I just let them know the two of you are here then and reschedule a meeting for a few days from now?"

Wolfram's brow furrowed. He didn't really want Yuuri to leave, but at the same time, the sooner they could be sure what was going on and what their next move should be the better. "You don't have to wait for me, Yuuri, go talk to them. Just… Make sure you hurry back, okay?"

"Are you sure?"

Finishing the last of his porridge, Wolfram nodded. He was starting to feel horribly dizzy again. "Just be careful."

Yuuri frowned but stood up and returned both their now empty dishes to the table. "All right then. Get some sleep. I'll be back as soon as I can."

.

Akami had been awake long before her father came in to call her for breakfast and, of course, school. She'd heard the car engines start up and later watched with growing curiosity from her bedroom window when the car had returned and their guest had hastened back into the house with someone in his arms. That in itself was enough to pique her interest, but even more notable to her eleven-year-old mind was the golden blond hair she'd seen before Yuuri disappeared from view. She'd only ever seen hair that color on television.

So it was that she was greatly disappointed when neither Yuuri nor their newest guest showed up to breakfast. Compared with what was happening right in her own house, school seemed even more boring than usual though she always did her best to pay attention.

The moment she got home, however, she left her brother filling his stomach with snacks in the kitchen and snuck upstairs to the room where their guests were staying. She knocked very quietly but no one answered so she eased the door open a crack to peer inside.

It looked like Yuuri hadn't returned yet. From the crack between door and doorframe, she could just make out a person-shaped lump under the bedcovers and the gleam of golden blond hair against the pristine white pillows. Akami knew she probably shouldn't bother the person, but her curiosity was killing her and she'd waited all day. Maybe if she was quiet, it would be okay.

Wolfram woke from a muddle of strange dreams of being back at the Academy with Yuuri to the feeling of someone watching him. Odd, he couldn't sense Yuuri nearby so it couldn't be him, but it didn't feel threatening either. His brow furrowed in confusion, he forced open his eyes to find himself staring at a little girl with dark hair cut neatly about her shoulders and wide, curious brown eyes. For a long moment they just gazed at each other in mutual silence, probably both wondering the same thing—along the lines of just who exactly the other person was, and in Wolfram's case, what in the world she was doing in his room. He'd never had much contact with young children before.

"Are you the one Yuuri nii-san said he was going to marry?"

_Huh?_ Wolfram blinked at the little girl, his mind processing the question more slowly than usual still half asleep. It seemed like such a strange question for a little girl to ask, or maybe it was normal and he just didn't know it. He'd have to admit that he had no idea. "Yeah."

Brown eyes peered intently at his features for a long several seconds. Then she smiled a sweet smile that lit up her entire face. "Yuuri nii-san was right. You _are_beautiful."

Wolfram blinked again then blushed. "He…said that?"

Of course he'd heard it often enough from other people. But from Yuuri, the compliment actually _meant_ something.

The little girl nodded. "Your world sounds very interesting. I wish I could see it sometime. Great grandmother used to tell me stories about it before she moved away." For a moment, she looked sad at the memory. Then she brightened, focusing back on the blond Mazoku, "Do you think you can tell me some stories?"

Wolfram thought about this for a moment then carefully pushed himself into a sitting position. He was tired of sleeping anyway. "I suppose I don't mind. But I've never told someone stories before."

"That's okay. Anything can be a story and I like all kinds of stories." Climbing up onto the desk chair, the girl drew her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. "My name's Akami, by the way. My brother just calls me Aka because he says Akami is too long, though I think he's just being lazy. But I don't mind either way so you can call me whichever. What's your name?"

"It's Wolfram."

"Woru-fu-ramu," she repeated haltingly, scrunching up her forehead in effort. "That's kind of a funny name."

Coming from someone else, Wolfram thought he might have felt offended. But with her heavy accent, he had to admit that his name did sound a little strange and he found himself laughing if somewhat hoarsely due to being sick. "Where I'm from, Wolfram is the name of a flower."

"Really? What does it look like?"

"Well, it has golden yellow petals and you can find it almost everywhere in the gardens of the royal castle because my mother thought it was one of the most beautiful flowers she'd ever seen, or that's what my brother tells me."

"You have a brother? I have one too. He can be annoying sometimes, but I like having him around."

"I see," Wolfram chuckled. He could totally understand that. "I have two actually. Big Brother is called Gwendal and Little Big Brother is technically called Conrart only most people call him Conrad because it's easier to pronounce. And back in my world, they're both very important people…"

.

For the first time if definitely not for the last, Yuuri was immensely grateful for all the times he had had to sit in on official meetings or political discussions during his training to become the next—current—demon king. It took training to be comfortable sitting at this giant table in this huge conference room across from the one other man. Talk about overkill, but then Shin Makoku had been just as into overdoing things when it came to the Maoh's affairs. Yuuri knew that it wasn't just because the Maoh was an important person—royalty, in other words. It was about presenting the right kind of image to the person across the negotiating table. Grandeur served, in its own way, as a kind of warfare.

"I wanted to thank you for taking care of Wolfram," he said, folding his arms across his chest and leaning nonchalantly back in his chair.

Kimura smiled with similar politeness. "It was no trouble at all. We were worried when Bielefeld-san turned up missing this morning. I'm glad to hear that everything worked out. Ah, I'm sorry, but I didn't catch your name."

"Yuuri Shibuya." Yuuri paused to consider how to continue before deciding that he'd rather not beat around the bush. "Wolf told me that the Maoh of this world has gone missing and that you're hoping we can help you find him. And I believe there was something about recent disturbances as well?"

"Actually, these disturbances aren't that unusual. Every couple centuries, the wall between the worlds fluctuates, but it usually settles down fairly quickly on its own. Only this time, the distortions were a lot more severe than in the past, and then his Majesty disappeared. With him missing, it's unlikely that the fluctuations will end and the prolonged warping of space is starting to cause problems."

"Does he normally fix these problems?"

"You could say that. But to be more accurate, it's because he's the Maoh." Noting the slight confusion on his face, Kimura paused to think of a better way to explain. "Think about it this way. The only people who can create portals between worlds is the Maoh of each world, and as such, their existence and change also affects the state of the boundary. You know how I said these occurrences weren't out of the ordinary? Well, every time our old Maoh retires and another is chosen—or the same happens in Shin Makoku, that period of change causes the world wall to fluctuate while it waits for the position to settle down again."

Yuuri tapped his fingers thoughtfully upon the tabletop. That was certainly interesting, and he wondered just a little guiltily if the extended trouble spots had anything to do with how long it had taken him to master his own powers and come to terms with his place as the next Maoh of Shin Makoku. Oh well, it wasn't like it was anything he'd had any control over, and he was here now to help solve the problem. "Do you know where he was last anyone saw him?"

"Unfortunately, no. All we know is that he was going to try and quell a few of the more troublesome warp spots."

Not the most helpful reply, but it would have to do. "Do the disturbances tend to occur in the same spots?"

"Not exactly, but we can narrow it down to a few particularly, ah, _intense_ areas."

"Good. Can I get a map of those please?"

"Of course. If you'll just wait a moment, I'll have my assistant print one for you."

Yuuri waited patiently while the man called his assistant, words were exchanged, and minutes later, a manila folder was being slid across the table towards him. He accepted it with a brief nod and stood up.

"Thank you. I'll look this over, check out the areas, and get back to you as soon as I can. In the meantime, if you need us, Wolf and I will be staying with the Aizawas."

Kimura coughed, a faint look of concern flickering across his face. "Are you sure? We have a lot more resources here, including the best surveillance equipment available. And then there is the fact that you two are strangers not only to this city but to this world. Would it not be safer to stay with us?"

Glancing back over his shoulder, Yuuri allowed himself to smirk. "Oh, you don't have to worry about that. We'll be fine. And as for equipment, I don't think we'll be needing any, at least not right away." Their equipment obviously hadn't done them much good thus far. "I've got some pretty good resources at my disposal as it is and I think it'll be best to approach this with what I'm used to."

For a long time after the door had closed, Kimura remained sitting in his chair staring at where the double black had been. Shibuya had definitely not been what he'd been expecting. After meeting von Bielefeld, Kimura had wondered what kind of aid these foreigners could possibly be. But somehow… Somehow, he was sure now that these two weren't just any Mazoku, and the black-haired one in particular had a presence about him that commanded respect and, strangely enough despite his amiable appearance, maybe even a bit of fear.

Because for a moment there before Shibuya had left, he had seen a change in those eyes. That young man—well, _demon_ to be more precise—had dragon's eyes.

.

Yuuri was surprised when he at last returned to the Aizawa residence to hear the sound of voices coming from the guest room. Stopping in the doorway, he raised an eyebrow to find Wolfram sitting against a pile of pillows and Akami perched attentively on the edge of the desk chair. He hadn't been aware that Wolfram liked kids, let alone got along with them so well. But he supposed they'd never really had the chance before to find out.

"So what's going on here?"

"I'm telling her about the first time we met," Wolfram said, pouting. "Don't interrupt."

Yuuri shook his head, amused. All the same, "I'm glad you're feeling better, Wolf, but we have to talk about a few things. There will be plenty of time for storytelling later. Besides, you should be getting as much sleep as you can." He set the folder full of maps down on the desk and turned to the little girl. "Sorry, Akami, but can you please excuse us for awhile?"

She looked a bit disappointed, but nodded and scurried from the room with a quick promise to be back some other time. She had a lot of things to tell her brother anyway, whether he wanted to listen to her or not. Listening to stories wasn't nearly as fun if you didn't have someone else to then repeat them to, maybe with some personal embellishments here and there.

"I'm feeling a lot better. I don't want to rest anymore," Wolfram complained, then turned his face away to cough. Damn, his throat was dry. How long had he been talking?

"You don't just get better in half a day," Yuuri sighed, handing him a glass of water he'd brought up with him from the kitchen. "You've got to be patient or you're going to make it worse."

Wolfram stared sulkily into the contents of his glass. He hated being sick, but Yuuri also had a point. "So how did it go?"

Sitting down on the bed beside him, Yuuri leaned back against the headboard. The blonde moved to lean against his side and he absently wrapped an arm about his shoulders to pull him closer while he went over what Kimura had said.

Wolfram remained quiet for awhile after he'd finished, digesting this new information. Then he asked, "So then what are we going to do?"

"I guess we'll just have to wait for one of those disturbances to happen. Then we'll have a better idea of what the problem is. In the meantime," Yuuri turned to Wolfram, grinning, "once you're better, I want to explore this world a little more. I mean, we're here already and there isn't anything else we have to do while we're waiting. We might as well take advantage of this opportunity and see what it's like."

"I should have known. You were always obsessed with those books, though personally, I don't see what's so great about this place." Then again, getting sick right away tended to do that to first impressions, probably not helped along by the rain and the tension. Closing his eyes, he rested his head against Yuuri's shoulder, feeling comfortably drowsy now that he wasn't engrossed in conversation. Maybe he was a little tired after all. Speaking of which, "I think I like children."

"Yeah?" Yuuri could only just make out the words in his sleepy mumble. He'd never really thought about children himself, all considered he'd decided some years ago that he would be marrying Wolfram. And no matter how much he resembled his mother, the blonde was still a male. Fortunately, the throne wasn't passed down by bloodline so it didn't matter if his spouse could give him heirs. "We can adopt, if you want."

Wolfram mumbled something incoherent and snuggled closer to him, and Yuuri wasn't sure if his sleepy nod was a reply or just a sign that he had fallen asleep.

* * *

><p><strong>TBC… <strong>

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><p><strong>AN<strong>: There may or may not eventually be implied mpreg. I haven't decided yet. On the one hand, I don't usually write mpreg. On the other hand, it could be funny. Any preferences?

.


	8. The Kind of King

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Kyo Kara Maoh.

**Pairings**: Yuuri x Wolfram

**.**

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><p><strong>Our Once Upon a Time<strong>

**By V. Shalyr **

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><p><strong>8. The Kind of King<strong>

Wolfram had not taken well to being bedridden and his increasingly foul temper had everyone walking on eggshells around the house until the twins came up with the brilliant idea of introducing him to the television. Even Wolfram was impressed by this wondrous invention and it proved unbelievably effective at keeping him occupied and off his feet. He would curl up on the couch with a blanket and scroll through the channels, watching whatever program caught his attention until it lulled him to sleep. Whenever he walked into the living room to find him that way, Yuuri couldn't help but be reminded of a large cat.

Yuuri himself spent most of that time reading and learning about the city. He carefully looked over the maps he'd gotten from Kimura, though all he could really conclude was that the disturbances followed no pattern just as the other man had said. At other times, he'd simply join Wolfram on the couch and they'd watch whatever was on together. That was where the afternoon found them in the middle of the week when the twins returned home from school—late.

Yuuri turned his gaze from the television screen to greet them but the words died on his lips. He gasped, taking in Akai's dirty clothes and scraped knee as he got to his feet. "What happened?"

"Some of the boys at our school were being bullies," Akami pouted, her eyes watering as she dropped both of their school bags on the ground. "It's because we've only just moved here."

"You shouldn't let them get away with that," Wolfram said, scowling. Slowly, he got off the couch and moved to stand beside Yuuri, dragging his blanket with him. "When people think you're weak, they'll just keep pushing you around."

"Wolf's right you know," Yuuri said, helping Akai sit down and inspecting his bruises.

"But what am I supposed to do?"

Wolfram snorted. "Next time they try to hurt you, just do this." He curled his fingers into a fist and punched the air like he was aiming for someone's face. "You have to put your entire body behind it if you want to break his nose."

Akai blinked and wondered if he should move farther away from him. "But what if I don't want to break his nose?"

"What he _means_is that you have to show them that you're not someone they can mess with," Yuuri cut in hastily, giving his fiancé a warning look out of the corner of his eye. "If they try to hit you, maybe throw a punch back but there's really no need to get that extreme. Lift your chin up, look confident, and maybe scare them a little. A few self defense classes wouldn't go amiss either. We'd be happy to teach you a move or two to make sure this doesn't happen again. You too, Akami."

"Oh, in that case, thanks." Akai grinned. "That would be awesome!"

"Good, now just hold still for a moment." Narrowing his eyes, Yuuri concentrated and a faint, green light surrounded his hands. Moments later, the bruises and scrapes disappeared.

"Wow." The boy examined his leg in amazement. "I didn't know you could do that."

"Yeah, well, I'm not very good at healing. Cuts and bruises are okay, but I still have trouble with anything else. Honestly, I just haven't had time to work on it."

And so mini self defense lessons were added to "story time", the latter of which Akai had sneaked about trying to listen to until Yuuri caught him with his ear to the guest room door one night and encouraged him to just go inside. He'd sheepishly opened said door and asked Wolfram if he could join him and his sister to which the blonde had graciously said yes. Watching the scene from the doorway, Yuuri was reminded of when he and Wolfram had been little and the different members of the Shibuya family would take turns telling them stories before bed when the blonde was staying over. It brought a smile to his face. Yuuri supposed that some things would never change no matter what world you were in or what kind of blood ran in your veins.

.

Even without the magic of the healers back in Shin Makoku, the medicine from Earth worked wonders and Wolfram was back on his feet in only a handful of days, just in time for Akai and Akami's school festival. With both of their parents unfortunately busy with things at work that simply couldn't wait, Yuuri had happily volunteered Wolfram and himself to baby-sit.

Wolfram plucked at the rough, bluish cloth of the pants Minako had bought for him, his forehead wrinkled in disgruntlement. If he recalled correctly, she'd referred to them as "jeans" and, apparently, pretty much everyone wore them here on Earth. It was hard for him to understand why though seeing as they really weren't all that comfortable. "They're easy to keep clean and they go with everything," Minako had explained to him when he'd pointed this out, but maybe he had to have more experience with the material to really appreciate its supposedly many virtues.

"Hey, are you ready?"

Turning to Yuuri who stood in the guest room doorway, Wolfram nodded. "Do you know where it is?"

"Not a clue, but the kids say that it's within walking distance and that they know the way."

Even without Akai and Akami moving excitedly ahead of them, they could probably have found the way by the number of cars and people headed in the same direction. The festival seemed to be a pretty big deal, though perhaps that was because of the number of schools participating in it to make it happen. People always tended to care more and get involved when it came to their kids, quite understandably. And the event wasn't just being conducted by the twins' elementary school but also several of the local middle and high schools.

At the entrance to their school campus where the festival was being held, Akai stopped and turned towards their new chaperones. "We have to go help our class prepare for the performance we're putting on later. We want it to be a surprise, so don't come with us okay?"

Ah, their parents had mentioned this earlier.

"Okay, but don't go wandering off campus, okay?"

Akami nodded enthusiastically. "Daddy gave you his cell phone, right?"

"He did." Yuuri nodded, holding up the small, oblong device. Tori had showed the two Mazoku how it worked earlier and they'd both been quite impressed. It was practically like magic and reminded them of a certain mad, red-haired scientist's inventions—the ones that actually worked anyway.

"Cool! Then we'll see you later. Have fun you two!"

And the two were gone, racing each other towards one of the school buildings.

Yuuri shook his head, pocketing the cell phone. "Funny, I would have thought we should be the ones saying that."

"It looks like almost everyone is headed that way," Wolfram said, waving towards what looked like a giant, grassy field on the side of the school where numerous tents had been set up, their cloth roofs brilliant shades of red and blue and yellow. "Maybe we should start there."

Reaching the edge of the field, they were greeted by a teenage girl wearing a bright red vest abounding with pockets, the same vest worn by everyone actively manning a booth or tent. She smiled brightly at them and held out a square piece of paper. "Hi, and welcome to our mini carnival! If you'd like to take one of these cards, all you have to do is get stamps in all nine squares and you can enter into the raffle. We're raffling off some pretty cool prizes this year."

Yuuri accepted the card, returning her smile with one of his own. "So how do we get stamps?"

She turned and gestured towards the booths. "We've set up all sorts of games. Just try them and you can get a stamp. You don't have to get a high score or win, though depending on the same, you might be able to get more than one stamp depending on how you do."

"Sounds simple enough," Wolfram observed, stepping closer to the double black. He couldn't help but dislike the fact that the girl was still smiling at _his_fiancé. She looked far too interested even if it was just because she'd never seen them before. "Come on, Yuuri, let's go."

In many ways, it was really a lot like a carnival or festival would have been back in Shin Makoku. Even the games they saw seemed mostly similar at least in concept, the main difference lying in the prizes being handed out. Being a fundraising event, it cost a little to play each game. But thankfully, they had received some of their own funds from the Mazoku organization only a few days before.

Wolfram eyed the many stuffed animals that seemed to be the most popular kinds of prizes at almost all the booths, ranging in size from ones that could fit in the palm of his hand to ones that towered over him. "Do you think Big Brother would knit better animals if we brought him some of these?"

Recalling the poor, misshapen things he'd seen in Wolfram's room when they were younger, courtesy of said big brother, Yuuri grimaced. "Somehow, I don't think it would help. But maybe a gift will make him feel less murderous on our wedding day."

Wolfram snorted, but stepped up to a booth that had several baskets set up along its back wall. "This looks fairly easy. Oi, how much?"

He handed the money to the girl on the other side of the counter and she placed three brightly colored balls in front of him. Picking one up, he tossed it up and down, testing its weight. It was light, far too light really, and very stiff. Throwing it into the basket proved a lot harder than it had appeared upon first glance. But Wolfram would rather die than allow a wooden basket and some plastic balls to beat him!

Yuuri hid his smile behind his hand when they at last moved on from that particular booth with Wolfram triumphantly carrying a giant stuffed teddy bear that they both agreed would make the _perfect_gift for Gwendal.

"Do you think Akai and Akami would like to have some fish?" Yuuri asked, stopping in front of a makeshift pool full of tiny, silvery creatures. Several people were gathered around it trying—mostly in vain—to scoop up a fish or two with these flimsy, paper nets. Wolfram eyed said paper nets with great misgiving.

"It looks like everyone is being set up to fail."

"That's the way these events work." Yuuri coughed significantly and dropped his voice so only Wolfram could hear him, "But luckily for me, I don't even need a net."

Oh, right. Amused, Wolfram stood back and watched Yuuri pay the youth in the red vest and crouch down beside the pool with one of the three paper nets he had been handed in return. Several seconds passed in seeming stillness then he carefully dipped the net in. Leaning over to peer into it, Wolfram spotted two tiny, silvery bodies flashing in the afternoon sunlight. The fish seemed a bit confused at having been more or less plucked out of the pool along with a sphere of water, but then fish weren't exactly known for their powers of comprehension.

"Good job," the boy running the stand congratulated them, giving them a clear bag half full of water to keep their new pets in with a wide grin. "First time today I've seen anyone get two in one go."

"I guess I was lucky."

Wolfram raised his eyebrows as Yuuri joined him once more after giving his extra nets to a little boy with an encouraging word. "When did you get to be such a good liar?"

"Well, I wouldn't call it _lying_ exactly, just—being confident in what you say. It's good training for going into politics."

Wolfram snorted. "Don't let Big Brother hear you say that."

"Heh heh, who knows? He might even agree with me."

They had only just finished collecting the nine stamps they needed on their stamp card and dropped it into the raffle box when an odd feeling struck them like they'd just been doused with ice water. They glanced at each other in concern then took off towards the school building where the children had earlier disappeared.

"Akai! Akami!"

They burst through the classroom door and immediately dropped into their respective fighting stances. Twenty or so pair of eyes stared back at them in wide-eyed shock. When nothing attacked them and no one seemed hurt, Wolfram straightened and crossed his arms while Yuuri relaxed and laughed a little awkwardly.

"Er, sorry about that everyone. We thought we, ah, heard something. Did any of you see anything strange just now?"

The younger occupants of the room all looked at Akai and Akami. They had heard these two madmen shouting for them from out in the corridor before they had come barging in.

Akai cleared his throat and pointed. "Those props moved all by themselves. But they've stopped now."

Wolfram was across the room at once, kneeling beside the cardboard box overflowing with miscellaneous pieces of clothing and cheap accessories. Scraps of cloth and shiny strings of beads formed a trail upon the floor to show where the box had been and the path it had taken across the classroom floor. Aside from that, however, no signs remained to show that anything out of the ordinary had occurred. Or were there? Emerald eyes narrowed, picking out what seemed like several pebbles scattered amongst the stage props. He pocketed the nearest ones and stood up.

"Thanks, Akai. And sorry for just coming in here unannounced. We'll just be leaving now. Good luck with your performance, and let us know if anything at all strange happens again, okay?"

"Okay," the class chorused and Yuuri nodded, waiting for Wolfram to exit the room before quickly following and shutting the door behind them.

"So what did you find?"

"These." Wolfram held up one of the stones. The glow from the hallway lights shone upon the smooth, black surface. "They were slightly wet when I picked them up."

Yuuri frowned. "That doesn't look like it came from around here. I wonder… I was sure that that was one of the disturbances we've been hearing so much about. It felt almost just like when we got pulled through the Temple fountain."

"But what does that mean?"

The double black tapped his chin thoughtfully. "I think I know what might have happened to this world's demon king. Granted, what I don't understand is if he fell through one of these accidental portals into another dimension or whatever, why didn't he just open up a portal to get himself back?"

"I guess something must have happened to stop him."

Which led to a whole new set of worries. For all they knew, there were monsters living in the warp space between worlds. And if that were the case, they both had to be prepared.

.

By the time the sky had finally gone dark and people had begun to filter out of the festival grounds, both Mazoku were more than ready to retire for the night. The play Akai and Akami's class put on had apparently been a variation on some Earth fairytale, at least that's how the twins explained it to them afterwards. It hadn't made that much sense from the perspective of the audience, with all the actors being rather inexperienced and prone to making things up when they forgot their lines, but everyone had applauded and laughed anyway. In some ways, that only made it more memorable.

Before starting back towards home, Wolfram took the kids to the food stands and got them each something to eat. He wasn't sure where Yuuri had dashed off to after leaving the theatre, but he didn't think too much about it when he spotted his fiancé making his way back towards them through the crowd of people folding up chairs and taking down tents. Then the four of them left the school grounds together. The twins were thrilled when Yuuri gave them the fish, and while Wolfram went upstairs to take a bath, he helped them set up a makeshift fish tank with some gravel from the backyard and a large, glass cup. Yuuri left the twins on the phone with their dad, trying to persuade him to buy some fish food on his way home, and headed to their room to find Wolfram.

The blonde had already changed into his night clothes and was sitting on the edge of their bed, combing his fingers through his hair in an attempt to straighten it out. With the white nightgown he'd gotten on that shopping trip with Minako, he really did look like an angel.

"So where did you run off to earlier?"

The soft smile that had settled on Yuuri's face while he watched him morphed into a grin. "I was just picking up our prizes. I went to check the raffle and it turned out we were one of the lucky ones after all."

"So what exactly did we win?"

Moving over to the bed, Yuuri brandished two rectangular pieces of colorful paper under his nose. "They're tickets to somewhere called an amusement park. I read about those. It should be fun."

Wolfram wrinkled his nose, going slightly cross-eyed in an attempt to get a good look at the tickets. "An amusement park? And what exactly is so amusing about it?"

Sure, trees and flowers and grass were all well and good for walks, appreciation and relaxation, but amusement? Did they sing and dance for you or something? Well actually, now that he considered it, Wolfram rather thought that that would be more frightening than amusing. He didn't understand.

"It's not that kind of park," Yuuri said, having read his mind from the dubious expression on his face. "It's not like a garden. It's a place where people here go to, well, to play games like here and go on rides."

"Rides? What kind of rides?" Wolfram had yet to see a real horse anywhere around here. Perhaps something like these cars?

"I don't know. I've never been to one either, but we're going to find out tomorrow."

.

The first thing they heard when Tori dropped them off in the parking lot of the amusement park was people screaming.

The two of them turned in unison to stare at the top of the twisting structure they could see outlined against the sky above the walls that surrounded the park. Even as they watched, something went hurtling along the tracks accompanied by another outbreak of shrieks.

Somehow, Wolfram wasn't so sure about this idea anymore. "Um, Yuuri…?"

But instead of being deterred, the double black grabbed his hand and started towards the queue before the amusement park gates. "Don't be so worried. I'm sure it's perfectly safe. I mean, you don't see anyone falling off it."

"I'm not worried," Wolfram grumbled under his breath, but it didn't really sound convincing even to himself.

Despite the huge crowd, it took much less time for them to make it into the park than Wolfram would have thought. Notices and advertisements for various events had been posted on a giant bulletin board in the entry plaza along with a map of the entire area. Yuuri glanced briefly at the row of flyers beneath it then resolutely took one of each, ending with a miniature version of the map overhead.

"The rides are mostly in this area," he muttered mostly to himself, peering at the different regions highlighted on the park map. "It's right next to the welcome area, which is where we are. Might as well start there."

The very first thing that greeted them as they followed the wide path out of the plaza was the rest of the ride they had seen from the outside. It was a massive, metallic structure formed of a single track that rose and dipped and looped crazily like a jumble of unraveling knots. The long train of boxlike cars sped along it at breakneck speeds full of shrieking passengers. Wolfram cringed as the thing blew past the section of the ride closest to them. They didn't _sound _like they were having fun, yet no one had forced them to get on.

"It's called a rollercoaster," Yuuri informed him, the park brochure still open in his hands. "Come on, it looks like the line starts over there."

The rollercoaster was monstrous, but it was nothing compared to the line in front of it. Apparently, it was one of the park's biggest attractions. And regardless of how it looked or how people screeched when they were on it, most of the people who got off it and walked by them did so _laughing_. How could they laugh? Hadn't they been terrified a moment before?

He nearly jumped out of his skin when a hand landed on his shoulder and he whipped around to stare up into Yuuri's amused, dark eyes. He wasn't sure exactly when the double black had gotten taller than him. As the years passed, it had just gradually happened. He had turned to look at Yuuri one day after they'd gotten back from a ride in the countryside and found himself having to tilt his head up a little to look him in the eyes. It never really bothered him though. It hadn't impaired his fighting skills at all so he didn't see any point in being annoyed. Besides, the slight height difference made Yuuri rather comfortable to lean against.

Great, now he was rambling in his own head. He couldn't deny it now; he was nervous.

"Relax, Wolf. It's not even a very long ride."

Good, because it didn't look like you could decide halfway through that you wanted to get off.

The line moved far too quickly for Wolfram's liking and soon enough they were climbing into their seats along with a dozen or so other passengers. They secured the harness that would prevent them from being flung out of the coaster and then the ride assistants were moving towards the edges of the platform. Wolfram pushed himself back into the hard back of his seat as the coaster cars began to move, slowly at first and then picking up speed until he no longer had to move back himself because the sheer momentum did his work for him. Wind whipped into his eyes and the dull roar of the contraption rushing along the tracks mixed in with the excited and terrified squeals of the people in front of them.

Wolfram had never been on anything that moved so swiftly in his life and he might have been able to enjoy it if it weren't for one thing.

He squeezed his eyes shut as the coaster twisted and spun, turning everything inside it upside down and sideways then right-side up again. He felt like his stomach had been left behind on the ground and it would be back to take its revenge for his abandonment when his feet were back on the floor. It reminded him sickeningly of being on a boat out at see only worse. Boats didn't generally flip their passengers upside down, or if they did, you had other, more serious problems to worry about.

By the time they were able to get off the rollercoaster, Yuuri was more than a little shaken and Wolfram had turned an unhealthy shade of green. Helping his fiancé over to one of the many benches around the park, Yuuri sat down beside him and began rubbing soothing circles on his back. Wolfram looked like he was going to throw up.

"This must be a very peaceful world," Wolfram groaned, "if people go on these rides for fun."

Another sudden cacophony of screams drew their attention to the next ride where what appeared to be a log boat had just emerged from a small, probably manmade mountain to plummet several meters down into the water, sending sheets of spray skyward and drenching everyone seated—no, _bound_—inside the vessel. The screams quickly changed into laugher as the boat righted itself and continued on its way. Yuuri looked from Wolfram to the ride then back to Wolfram who glared at him, daring him to suggest they try it. There was a long pause then Yuuri coughed.

"Er, I think we can skip that one."

And the one after that where people were getting into these little cars and driving them at each other at high speeds. They'd watched it for awhile before deciding maybe they would pass over that one too.

"Maybe we should go watch one of these shows. Akai and Akami gave me a few recommendations before we left…"

The various shows turned out with much better results.

"That was incredible!"

Yuuri grinned at his angel's newfound enthusiasm. It was nice to see that Wolfram was finally starting to relax. The blonde's emerald eyes sparkled with curiosity as he examined the plastic glasses they had been asked to wear during the showing. They hung back at the back of the crowd slowly filtering out of the theatre and Yuuri wrapped an arm around his fiancé's waist to prevent him from bumping into the people in front of them, the blonde's attention focused solely on the object in his hands.

"How do you think they do it?"

"I have no idea," Yuuri admitted ruefully, remembering the way the people and creatures in the short animation had seemed to walk right out of the theatre screen. It really _had_been rather memorable. "Maybe it has something to do with why the lenses are different colors."

Wolfram made a noise of agreement in his throat and reluctantly handed the glasses to the worker collecting them at the exit. "I'm getting a little hungry. Can we go eat something, Yuuri?"

Yuuri opened his mouth to answer but his stomach beat him to it with a loud growl. He laughed, "Looks like that's a definite yes. Let's see, the map says there are several restaurants around the park, but most of those aren't open until dinner. I guess that means we should head to the food court."

They weren't really familiar with the different foods displayed behind the glass in large, steel tubs so they just asked for a bit of everything. These portions were all arranged by the server upon two large, white plates and then they had to get in line to pay for it before the workers would actually give them the food. When it came their turn at the register, the woman behind it did a double take when she saw them. Wolfram wondered why until she glanced around to make sure no one was watching then mouthed, "Mazoku?"

Wolfram glanced at Yuuri in uncertainty but the double black just smiled and gave her a nod in confirmation.

The woman grinned and winked before whispering, "Me too. I haven't seen another full blooded Mazoku in decades." She thought for a moment then grabbed two of the desserts from the tray on the counter and put them on their plates. "My treat. I hope you enjoy it here in the park."

They thanked her and wished her a good day before moving to one of the smaller tables along the sides of the outdoor seating area. After the first few cautious bites, they dug into the food with surprised appreciation. When his own plate was finally empty, Yuuri put down his fork and rested his elbows on the table, clasping his hands and resting his chin atop them as his gaze wandered from his fiancé to the people passing by the food court on their ways to other areas of the park. Most of them were families with young children or, and he noticed this with some interest, young couples likely in their teens and early twenties by human years. It seemed this was a popular destination for courting.

"What's on your mind?" Wolfram asked suddenly, putting down his water cup, his fork poised above a piece of spicy, fried potato. He had noticed the sudden seriousness in the double black's expression.

"Huh? Oh, I was just thinking about these people." Yuuri cocked his head a little to indicate the crowds around them. "They're all here to have fun. It doesn't matter if they're human or demon or a fraction of both. I mean, I know this world has its problems too. Look at all those horror stories on the news"—another intriguing aspect of television—"but that means it's still _possible_."

Wolfram remained quiet. He knew that Yuuri had been doing a lot of thinking lately.

"I've decided that I'm going to be the kind of king that will make all the fighting stop. No more wars. We've all seen too much warfare in our lives already and I'm going to make sure it ends so that everyone can go out and have fun together just like this. I don't want you or anyone else to have to fight and get hurt."

"We're soldiers, Yuuri, and you're the king. We have to protect the kingdom at any cost."

"I realize that, but there has to be a way. I'm not going to let peace continue to just be a dream."

It wouldn't be an easy road and Yuuri knew that, but that was only more reason to give it his all so that one day, he could make it happen.

Wolfram gazed at him for a long moment then nodded resolutely. "If that's what you want then I'll do whatever I can to help you. You know that, right?"

"Yes, I know." Wolfram had been saying the same thing since they were children and it made Yuuri smile. Well, they were here to have fun, right? And this wasn't even their world. Who cared what these people might or might not think? That said, he leaned across the table and placed a quick kiss on his angel's lips. "And I'm grateful. Now come on, the next show's going to start in ten minutes. We need to hurry if we want good seats."

Well, _Yuuri_ was going to find a good seat and his angel could sit in his lap. People tended to see only what they wanted to see anyway. They'd probably just assume the double black was out with his "girlfriend".

Akai stifled a yawn, stretching his arms above his head. "Ugh, English homework takes _forever_. I'm ready to go to bed."

Gathering his books together, he replaced them in his backpack and glanced towards the wall. He and Akami were in her room and the guest room was just next door. He hadn't heard any sound from there so he had to assume they still hadn't come back. "I wonder if they're having fun."

He would have paid a lot to see their expressions after getting off their first ride. He was pretty sure they didn't have things like roller coasters back in their demon kingdom.

When his sister did not respond, he looked around and found her standing at her bedroom window peering out into the night. "Hey, Aka, what are you doing?"

"They're back."

"Huh? Really?"

Akai climbed to his feet, hitting them in an attempt to get rid of the pins and needles. They had been working on their homework since after dinner, which really was too long if you asked him. But their parents were always going on about how important their studies were, and he supposed they had to know, right? Once the numbness had finally gone away, he padded over to stand beside her, shielding the light from his eyes with his hands as he pressed his face to the cold glass.

It took him a moment to locate their two guests since they were standing in the shadows next to the light beside the front door. The black-haired Mazoku had his smaller, golden-haired companion pressed against the wall and they were awfully close to one another. What in the world were they—_oh_.

His face instantly flushed bright red and Akai yanked his sister away from the window, dragging her all the way back across the room to the table they had been working at.

"Hey!" Akami protested, rather indignant at this rude treatment. "What was that for?"

"You're not supposed to _watch_ them, Aka," he chided hotly. "It's inappropriate! And weird."

"It is?"

"Yes, it is," he said firmly, running back across the room to pull the curtains closed. "Now let's go to bed. It's late and we still have school tomorrow."

* * *

><p><strong>TBC… <strong>

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><p><strong>AN<strong>: I'm a little surprised at how many people say that they don't usually read Aus. I guess because I really love Aus, and I find them a lot of fun to write especially when you can incorporate things from the actual series and then change them. But anyways, I'm glad people decided to give this story a try regardless.

Also, the preferences seem to be overwhelmingly in favor of future mpreg, so I shall start thinking about that.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

.


	9. A Place Between Places

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Kyo Kara Maoh.

**Pairings**: Yuuri x Wolfram

* * *

><p><strong>Our Once Upon a Time<strong>

**By V. Shalyr **

* * *

><p><strong>9. A Place Between Places<strong>

Wolfram woke to the chirruping of birds and the soft rustle of paper. He groaned, burrowing further under the warm blankets and trying to go back to sleep. But his attempt was thwarted when gentle fingers ran through his disheveled, blond hair and Yuuri spoke from somewhere above his head.

"Hey, don't go back to sleep on me now. We've got work to do today."

Wolfram groaned again, this time in protest, and Yuuri chuckled. His angel had never been much of a morning person.

"Sorry, Wolf, but you don't have a choice about this unless you'd prefer being left at home. Minako said she could drop us off, but she has to be at work soon. We don't want to be a burden to our hosts, and you _do_want to get home, don't you?"

For a moment the lump beneath the blankets remained still as though digesting this information. Then it heaved a resigned sigh and Wolfram emerged reluctantly from beneath it, emerald green eyes still hazy from slumber. Grumbling a little, he clambered off the bed and stretched, stifling a yawn.

Yuuri glanced at him from where he sat leaning against the headboard already dressed with several maps and charts on his lap. Dark eyes immediately fell to the mark he'd left on his angel's neck the night before and he had to resist the temptation to just abandon his plans for the day and drag Wolfram back onto the bed to finish what they'd started. Damn, sometimes Yuuri _really_hated being a gentleman.

"Are you going to at least tell me where we're going?" Wolfram asked, trudging over to the closet to look for something to wear.

Dragging his gaze back down to the documents he'd been perusing, Yuuri shuffled them around until he found the one he was looking for. "There's a pretty big park near the center of this city. It was designated by the Mazoku organization as one of the main trouble spots. I want to test some things out and see what we can find."

.

The various parks were some of the only places in the city that really reminded the two Mazoku of home, these patches of natural scenery breaking up the concrete forest of buildings where so many people made their lives. Walking beside his fiancé with his hands stuffed into his jacket pockets, Wolfram found himself wishing that they were back at the Shibuya mansion. The gardens of the Shibuya estate held so many good memories—important memories. Sometimes, he wondered if his fondness for painting had come from a desire to preserve all those precious little moments that made life worth living. Back when they were little, he'd sometimes take his painting tools out into the gardens and work. Naturally, is favorite subject was Yuuri, but then the double black would fall asleep—he hated posing for pictures—and Wolfram would get upset and chase him around the gardens until Yuuri retaliated by tackling him to the ground and tickling him until he was laughing too hard to be angry anymore. They'd remain there sprawled in the grass catching their breath and then go back inside where Yuuri's mother usually had some experimental snack for them to try. Life had been so easy back then really.

It wasn't that Wolfram didn't like it here. He'd settled into life on Earth almost as well as Yuuri had after he'd gotten over his initial dismay. But that didn't stop him from missing Shin Makoku. What was that saying again? There was no place like home.

"There aren't that many people here today," Yuuri observed, leading the way towards the center of the park. "I guess that's good for us, huh?"

Wolfram shrugged, pulling one hand from his pocket to cover another small yawn. "So what did you want to test?"

"You'll see."

Yuuri located an unoccupied wooden picnic table and set down the folder he'd brought with them. There were a few children playing ball some distance away watched over by a woman reading a book, but that couldn't be helped. Hopefully, they'd just think they imagined anything strange that might happen.

"Wolf, if anything happens I want you to make sure nothing happens to those people, okay?"

Wolfram nodded and surveyed the park around them once more to make sure he knew where everyone was. When his gaze returned to Yuuri, the double black was standing behind the table with his eyes narrowed in concentration. A faint blue aura surrounded him and Wolfram took a cautious step to the side to place himself between his king and the other park visitors, blocking their line of sight just in case. He felt a shiver run down his spine at the power that was beginning to radiate off the double black, and he could hardly believe that no one else had noticed. These people really were oblivious when it came to magic. You could miss so much by simply not allowing yourself to believe something existed.

What confused Wolfram was that Yuuri didn't seem to be doing anything with the power. All he was doing was calling it up and letting it seep into the ground beneath his feet. Then he let the light fade and glanced around expectantly.

Before Wolfram could ask what he was expecting, he felt something—like a bucket of cold water had just been emptied over his head. Jerking around, he searched frantically for the source. It was close. The feeling was much stronger this time than it had been before at the school festival and it didn't take him long to locate it—a ripple in the air amongst the trunks of a nearby grove of trees. Luckily, none of the other park goers were near it and it vanished almost as quickly as it had appeared.

"I thought so," Yuuri murmured. He hadn't moved from his spot behind the table and Wolfram moved over to join him.

"Did you make that happen?"

"Yes and no." Shaking his head, the double black pulled out several maps and lay them out side by side, pointing at each as he explained. "These are the disturbance records from the past two weeks. Look at the dates. For the most part, you get a scattering of the phenomena every few days, but there were more of them here and here." He indicated said maps with a gesture. "This one is from the day we arrived on Earth, both that morning and the morning after. Then this one is from the festival two days ago."

Wolfram thought back over those particular days and his eyes widened. "Maryoku?"

It had taken Maryoku to send them to this world. Then Yuuri had called up that rain, and at the festival there had been those fish.

Yuuri nodded. "It seems that when I use my powers in this world, these disturbances tend to follow shortly after. Maybe it's because Earth's Maoh isn't here to balance out my presence. This isn't a world that's used to magic after all."

"I suppose that makes sense." Wolfram peered down at the maps intently. "It looks like the warp spots also appear at least reasonably close to where you are. So then that means as long as we can locate and get to it fast enough, we can use one as a portal to hopefully get to wherever this world's Maoh has gone."

"That's the plan." Gathering the papers together and stuffing them back into the folder Yuuri straightened up, his expression sharp with determination. "But we'll need to be prepared since we don't really know what's waiting for us on the other side. What concerns me is that for whatever reason, the Earth Maoh was—or is—unable to get back here on his own. I'll call the Mazoku organization when we get back. In the meantime, I think we need to go shopping."

Wolfram stared. Had he heard that correctly? Yuuri _never_wanted to go shopping, at least not without a specific target in mind. "For what?"

The double black grinned. "Swords of course."

.

The sleek, black car pulled up along the side of the highway and two men got out of it, surveying the deserted road and the rocky slope leading down towards the beach. If they had had their way, it would have been several more men and women, but Shibuya had been insistent on that point. Too many people would only slow them down.

"Are you sure this is the right place?"

Kimura nodded, carefully stepping over the railing and starting down towards the sand. There wasn't really a path so progress was slow, but that was the point really. Shibuya had wanted somewhere where they were unlikely to get any innocent bystanders involved. Out of the few main trouble areas, this one was definitely the most unfrequented. "Over there, I can already see them."

Following his pointing finger, Jamie indeed spotted two somewhat familiar figures standing amidst the dunes. What definitely were _not_familiar however, were the swords at their sides. In contrast to their Earth clothes, the weapons felt strangely out of place though there was also an ease in their stances that spoke of long familiarity with the things. At that moment, the two Mazoku really looked like people from another world.

"I take it we should expect trouble?" Kimura asked as they finally drew level with the pair, glancing pointedly at their sheathed blades. He had to wonder where they had found them in the first place, but then there were still people who liked to collect such pieces so he supposed it shouldn't have come as too much of a surprise that there were stores in the city that sold them.

"We figured that it's better safe than sorry," Yuuri said with a shrug. "I'm glad you could make it. I don't suppose you two brought any arms? I believe I mentioned it when we scheduled this."

Jamie nodded, pulling his jacket aside so they could see a device in a holster on his belt. "In this world, guns replaced swords a long time ago. So what now?"

"Now we trigger the disturbances and hope for the best."

Before either man could ask what he meant by this Yuuri focused and sapphire light erupted around him. They leapt back with exclamations of surprise but neither Mazoku had time to concern themselves with their reactions.

"Yuuri!" Wolfram shouted above the sudden roar of the wind. He had turned and was staring out across the sea. "Over there!"

"Got it."

Raising an arm to shield his face from the gale, Kimura squinted out across the water. "A warp spot? Damn, we should have brought a boat."

Jamie had to raise his voice so the others could hear him. "There's a harbor if we keep going down this road. We can get a boat there."

"There's no time," Yuuri said urgently. He was already running across the sand towards the waves with Wolfram on his heels. "We don't know how long the warp spot will last. It's always smoothed out very quickly in the past. Come on, it'll be much faster this way."

Jamie stared as Kimura took off after them without a word, his mouth hanging open for a moment before following suit. "You're not thinking about _swimming_ there are you?"

"Of course not! Are you crazy?"

Jamie rather thought _he_should be the one asking that. But then Yuuri waved his hand, his feet splashing into the shallows, and suddenly the water came alive. It roared and twisted and surged around them, taking the shape of a giant, serpentine creature Jamie could only give one name to. It was a _dragon_and the two Mazoku had leapt onto its back just behind its huge, magnificent head. Kimura hesitated for only a second before jumping up after them and Jamie had no choice but to follow though he found himself praying under his breath even as his feet landed on water that somehow managed to support his weight and they were rushing forwards towards the open sea at breakneck speeds. On another day under different circumstances, Jamie might have found the experience amazing—and it was certainly unique. But as it were, all he felt was a sort of awed terror.

This was _magic_, there was no other word for it. But that could mean only one thing.

"So I was right, Shibuya-sama," Kimura called above the roaring of the water. "You're Shin Makoku's new demon king. I guessed after I saw your eyes the other day."

"I am," Yuuri called back though he didn't turn around, all his attention focused on what lay ahead. He couldn't afford to let his concentration waver now. "I apologize for not informing you sooner."

"It was your decision, your Majesty, and we respect that. Though I do wish you had said something earlier. We should have given you and your companion a proper welcome."

"Actually, that's one of the reasons I chose not to mention it." Slitted eyes narrowed and latched onto a ripple in the air above the waves like a slash across the sky. "Everyone, hold on!"

And then the dragon was surging forward, diving through the distortion in space and taking them all with it.

.

The first thing Wolfram saw when he opened his eyes was Yuuri's concerned face. He blinked, his foggy mind not quite registering what had happened. "Yuuri?"

"Oh good, you're awake." Relieved, the double black hurriedly helped him sit up. "I sort of lost control when we passed through the portal. I'm not sure where Jamie and Kimura are, and I'm afraid you hit your head pretty hard."

So that was why the back of his head was throbbing.

"Hold on for a moment. I should be able to fix that."

Wolfram winced when Yuuri pressed his fingers gently against the lump on the back of his head. For a moment, he glimpsed a telltale trace of green light out of the corner of his eye then it faded and the pain receded into a dull ache.

"Better?"

"Yeah."

Standing up, Yuuri held out his hand and the blonde allowed him to pull him to his feet. They appeared to have landed in a tunnel of some sort. The walls, ceiling, and floor were all made of the same, foreign stone he'd found in the twins' classroom and the back of his clothes where he'd been lying against it was damp. He could hear the steady drip-dripping of water somewhere in the distance, echoing slightly in the labyrinth of chambers and passageways.

Yuuri scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "Sorry about that. I guess I should have been more careful."

"It's not your fault. We've never done this sort of thing before. You couldn't have known how it would affect your powers."

"I suppose." Sighing a little ruefully, the double black turned to survey their surroundings. "I'm starting to wonder if maybe the Earth Maoh wasn't able to return home because he accidentally knocked himself unconscious when he fell through the portal."

"That would just be pathetic."

"Hey! It's possible, right? And that would mean there aren't any monsters and we don't have to worry too much about our missing companions."

Of course, the sudden outburst of yelling in the distance probably meant that theory was too optimistic.

Drawing their swords, the two Mazoku sprinted in the direction of the cries. It appeared that Jamie and Kimura had arrived here in this place between worlds in a sizable cavern not all that far away from them. But unlike them, they had not woken up alone. Currently, both human and half demon had their backs to the cavern wall as _something_ loomed over them, snarling. The thing—beast?—had no clearly defined shape, resembling more a collection of shadows and light, but the needle-like teeth and the eyes like spots of fire above them were clear enough. Kimura was holding his gun out in front of him aimed at the creature but the bullets didn't seem to be doing any good. They just passed right through it without leaving a mark, pinging off the stone of the far wall.

"Get out of the way!" Wolfram shouted, throwing himself forward, his sword already a blur of motion. As the beast spun its head around to meet him, towering above his head, he found himself wishing that he had his flames in his hands instead.

"What the—!" Leaning against the wall and clutching a wounded arm, Jamie gasped as fire suddenly burst into life along the blond Mazoku's blade.

Wolfram seemed almost as surprised as their Earth-born companions, but he didn't waste any time wondering about it. His sword bit through shadowy flesh and the beast screeched, rearing back and away from its new attacker. Black liquid splattered across the floor and where the droplets landed, the stone began to steam. It fixed its burning gaze on the newcomers, going still even as Wolfram prepared to attack again. Then it took several more steps back, seeming to meld into the wall with a final, menacing hiss.

All of them waited tensely for several moments to see if it would return. When it didn't, the two Mazoku slowly lowered their swords and turned to their companions.

"Are you two all right?"

"I've been better," Jamie said, kneeling to retrieve his own gun which had fallen to the floor when the creature's claws had slashed his arm. "What _was_that?"

Kimura shook his head, holstering his own weapon. "Who can say? We're probably some of the first people who have ever been here. The one thing we can be sure about is that it seems you need magic to hurt them. I see you can use your Maryoku here, Lord von Bielefeld."

Wolfram sniffed. He might understand the man better now after Jamie's explanation, but that didn't mean he liked him any better. "Yes, and you should count yourself lucky that we got here in time. Those weapons of yours seem pretty useless if you ask me."

Yuuri cleared his throat before anything more could be said. They didn't really need to go into the finer comparisons of different world weaponry. "There's a lot of water in this place. I should be able to use it to find anyone else in these tunnels without causing too much of a disturbance."

Even as he spoke, sapphire light suffused the ground beneath their feet, racing away from them along the pools and rivulets of water that stained the stone. The glow faded to almost nothing as Yuuri hurriedly toned down the intensity but the other three could still feel it like a mild pressure in their heads and an odd tingle across their skin.

"This place is huge," Yuuri murmured, his eyes half lidded as he threw his senses further and further outward. "It's like this maze that just goes on forever in every direction. It's like an entire world in itself only completely different from either of the worlds we're from." He paused for a moment as though listening intently to something only he could hear then sheathed his sword and began to walk. "Come on, this way. And keep your eyes open. I think there are a lot more of those creatures around."

Some kind of bluish green moss or algae clinging to the rocks provided just enough light for them to see by. In the unchanging illumination, time seemed to slip away. It was impossible for them to tell what hour of the day it was or even if time passed at all here in the way they knew it. Once in a while, a strange call would echo back to their ears and they'd glance nervously about, pausing to listen carefully before continuing once more along the path Yuuri had chosen.

It was always so bizarre somehow, Wolfram reflected, how you spent so much time planning and preparing for something and then the event would finally arrive and days upon days of work would end up resolving in only a few short moments of action. After that first experiment in the park, they had run a handful of other tests over the course of several days just to confirm their previous results. Then there had been their new weapons to find. Locating a shop that sold swords had been much easier than they thought. The problem had been finding swords of adequate and _usable_ quality. After all, they were looking for blades to defend themselves with, not to decorate their living room wall.

And now here they were already halfway through a supposed rescue mission. It was almost anticlimactic really.

Especially since the man they were looking for didn't even prove to be all that difficult to find. Wolfram wasn't sure how long they had been walking but it seemed as though one moment they were trudging along a dimly lit tunnel hoping nothing would leap through the stone at them and the next, they had turned through a rocky archway and into a vast chamber aglow with light from various stalactites hanging from its vaulted ceiling. They noticed immediately that this particular cavern was different from most of the others they had passed through. Its walls were smooth, far too smooth to have been natural, and its floor had been covered in a thick layer of moss that sank and squelched a little beneath their shoes. All around the chamber, giant globs of crystal glistened damply, their semi-translucent depths murky with shadows and shot through with sparkling lights. It reminded Wolfram of something but he couldn't quite decide what. The sight might have been quite breathtaking if it weren't for the young man bound by ropes of the same, alien crystal against the far wall, his tattered clothes crusted with dried blood.

"Your Majesty!" Jamie broke into a run closely followed by the half demon, dropping down beside the prone figure and tugging uselessly at the crystal. "Damn, what's this made of?"

"Move," Yuuri ordered, crouching to run a hand over the foggy stone, his brows knitting in concentration.

But before he could attempt to break them, a low growl reverberated through the room. Something huge and heavy seemed to detach itself from the forest of stalactites and dropped with a muffled thud onto the cavern floor. Wolfram recognized it as the same creature from earlier—it still had the wound he'd given it across its side. But this time, it had company.

A second, slightly smaller but otherwise identical beast followed the first from its hiding place above. At least Wolfram thought it looked identical, though he supposed other members of its species would probably disagree.

Yuuri swore and made to stand but Wolfram stopped him. "Leave them to me, Yuuri. You just focus on freeing him so we can get out of here."

Not waiting for the double black to argue, Wolfram stood and summoned his Maryoku, brilliant orange flames flaring into life around him. It felt good to be able to use it again. Before him, the beasts took a cautious step back and then shook their heads and lunged. Dodging back, the blonde threw his hand forward and two flaming lions followed the motion, intercepting the creatures and sending all four beasts crashing to the floor.

"Come on, come on," Yuuri muttered under his breath. Sapphire light flashed and the crystal beneath his hands shattered.

"Is he badly hurt?" Kimura asked, anxiety creeping into his perfectly trained voice. There really did seem to be a lot of blood.

"It looks like he patched himself up pretty well," Yuuri replied, working quickly to mend the few smaller cuts he found that the other Mazoku apparently hadn't had the energy to bother with. "He's just exhausted. Can you two carry him? I need to go help Wolfram and then we should find somewhere to shelter until we can create a portal back."

Kimura nodded and leaned down to pull one of the unconscious Mazoku's arms over his shoulders. With Jamie's assistance, he stood up supporting most of the full demon's weight while Jamie hoisted the other arm over his own shoulders.

Wolfram swiped impatiently at the sweat that threatened to drip into his eyes. Whatever these creatures were, they were resilient if nothing else, but even that wasn't the problem. The problem was that they kept _multiplying_. Soon after the fighting had started, a third beast had emerged from one of the tunnels leading into the chamber to join the fray followed seconds later by a fourth that dragged itself up through the moss-cushioned floor. Wolfram knew what this place reminded him of now. It was a _nest_, and all the creatures that lived here were gathering to protect it. As far as these creatures were concerned, _they_were the attackers here, the intruders. And as all creatures did, they protected their home with everything they had.

A sudden, thunderous roar split the air and an immense, serpentine beast crashed into the monsters, ramming them against the wall with all the force of the raging sea. Wolfram's flames were extinguished and then Yuuri had grabbed his wrist and they were running. Tumbling back through the tunnel through which they had come, Yuuri paused only long enough to lash out with his powers, closing the passageway behind them with spell-laced rubble and spray. He wasn't sure how long it would hold seeing as these creatures seemed to be able to pass through stone, but they couldn't afford to wait and find out. The shrieks of the monsters echoed just beyond the barrier and through the maze of tunnels, chasing their steps as they fled as quickly as adrenaline could take them. None of them dared slow down until they could no longer hear even the lingering echoes of the beasts' enraged cries.

Jamie collapsed in exhaustion as soon as he had helped Kimura lower their king so he could rest against the tunnel wall. "So, can you open a portal back to Earth?"

Yuuri coughed. "Er, I can try but I can't guarantee anything. I was kind of hoping that he," he gestured at his fellow Maoh, "would be able to do that, or at least give me some tips."

Four pairs of eyes looked at the unconscious demon.

Wolfram shrugged. "Well, let's wake him up then."

.

Kivan Eljera had definitely had better days in his short century and a half of life. He had aches and pains in places he didn't know he had, and why the hell was it so damned cold?

"—Majesty, can you hear me?"

That voice. He knew that voice and it sounded very concerned. Struggling to find some way to reassure whoever it was, he finally managed to pry his eyes open and peered blearily up at the blurry spots above him that resolved themselves into faces. Vaguely, he registered that some of his close assistants were among them, but what really caught the attention of his dazed mind was an unfamiliar but unbelievably striking face with slightly wavy golden hair framing pale, delicate features.

Kivan blinked and stared. There were people talking—talking to him? He wasn't sure—but his brain had stopped on trying to process this beauty in front of him.

Suddenly, he was feeling a _lot_better than he had before, and he somehow managed to find the energy to lift a hand and trace a finger along those incredibly soft looking lips.

Emerald eyes widened in shock as their owner jerked away and a hand was suddenly around his wrist in a vice-like grip. Kivan's gaze followed said hand up a black jacket sleeve and to the face of the other stranger who was now glaring at him with rather dangerous looking dark, slitted eyes.

"Touch my fiancé again and we leave you here and Earth can find itself another Maoh."

Something about that icy rebuke finally kicked his sluggish mind back into working order and Kivan found himself rapidly turning red with embarrassment. "My deepest apologies, I really hadn't meant to do that. I'm not sure what came over me."

He laughed nervously when the other Mazoku—and he was pretty sure he was a Mazoku—continued to glower at him but quickly cut himself off when the action caused his injuries to begin aching again. What had happened to him again? Oh yes, now he remembered. He'd made a careless mistake during one of his routine duties and fallen into the warp space between worlds, a space that had turned out to be very much a world of its own. The problem with being the Maoh, he reflected, was that no one could tell you about these things. It was almost always trial and error. You were the one other people went to for answers, not the other way around, and that held doubly true when you were a full blooded Mazoku in a world dominated by—well, _not_full blooded Mazoku. Advisors weren't much good when you outlived them so easily and so often.

He'd woken up here in a tunnel much like this one and been trying to conjure up a portal back home when one of those creatures had stumbled upon him and attacked him, probably taking the light that emanated from him as some sort of threat. After that, everything was mostly a blur. Glancing around, he took in the dimly lit tunnel around them, piecing together what must have happened before focusing on the two people he did recognize.

"Not that I'm not happy to be rescued, but how _did_you all manage to find me? And what about those creatures that live here?" The basics of how they had gotten there wasn't really that hard to figure out.

Kimura nodded towards the two strangers. Jamie still looked like he was in shock from the revelation that the two foreign Mazoku were not only good friends but in fact engaged to be married. The former always had been one to take any news in stride. It was what made him such a reliable assistant if a little disturbing in his own way. "Actually, we owe it all to these two. Let me introduce your Majesty to his Majesty Yuuri Shibuya—the current Maoh of Shin Makoku and, apparently, his fiancé Lord Wolfram von Bielefeld."

"Ah, I see." Turning back to the two foreigners, Kivan straightened himself as best he could and gave a short bow. "Thank you. You've certainly come a long way from home. Er, sorry again—about that. I, uh, really wasn't thinking. I've been out of it for quite a few hours."

The double black king raised an eyebrow. "I suppose you're welcome. But we really would like to get home as soon as possible, so if you would be so kind as to open a portal for us all to get back to Earth? We've already been gone for several weeks and, as you said, we've come a long way."

"Several weeks?" Kivan shook his head. "I guess that means time runs faster on Earth than it does here."

"It can be different?" The pretty blond one—Wolfram, was it?—finally spoke up, emerald eyes going wide in alarm. "Yuuri—!"

"I know." The other Mazoku had gone almost as pale as his companion, forgetting his small grudge in the face of this newfound problem. This could be bad. As far as Yuuri knew, they had only been missing from Shin Makoku for a handful of weeks. But if the time in different worlds could run differently from one another, who knew just how long the kingdom thought they had been gone? Worse, did all their neighboring kingdoms know that the new Maoh had disappeared? Yuuri seriously hoped not.

Sensing their anxiety, Kivan hastily recollected his wits and staggered to his feet. He still felt a bit nauseous but they had more important issues on their hands at the moment than an upset stomach. Besides, they couldn't afford to wait round too long or those creatures may decide to come after them again.

"Unfortunately, I don't think I have the energy to create a portal right now. I think those beasts back there eat energy. It shouldn't be any problem for you though, Shibuya-san."

"But how? I've never actually created a portal before."

"It's really not very difficult. What element are you best with?"

"Water."

"Right, then focus on that and try to picture it forming a kind of passageway. The boundary between worlds is—like a wall really. As the Maoh, you should be able to find it and feel it out. You want to pour in a lot of power to crack it open, but not too much or you might lose control. And then just imagine where you want to go. It might take a little longer to find the dimensional boundary if you've never done this before, but you felt the ripple when you came through into this place, right? It should feel a lot like that."

Frowning a little, Yuuri nodded slowly. It sounded easy enough, but then things had a tendency to sound easier than they actually were in practice.

While the others waited, Wolfram glanced at the newest member of their party in curiosity. "I don't understand how you could have gotten caught by those things to begin with. I mean sure, there are a lot of them, but they weren't really all that strong. I would have thought you should have easily been able to deal with them with your Maryoku and then create a way back home before they could drain you."

A Maoh, especially one in danger, should have been able to handle it from what he'd seen.

The man—Mazoku—chuckled, his voice still a bit hoarse. "Believe it or not, I've never had to use my Maryoku to fight before. I was born on Earth, and magic is usually something that you try to avoid using whenever you can help it. I do quite a bit of healing of course and I help out the best I can when there are earthquakes or other natural disasters, but that's pretty much it. On top of that, there aren't that many people who can even teach you about Maryoku since the current Maoh and usually the previous one if he or she is still alive are the only ones who can use any of it. Unfortunately for me, my predecessor was only half Mazoku and he passed away shortly after I was chosen to take his place."

Wolfram huffed, but after living on Earth for this long he supposed he could see how that made sense. Still, he rather thought Earth must run through a lot of Maohs during times of trouble, unless Shinou was in the habit of sending help over when needed.

"I think I have it," Yuuri said suddenly, opening his eyes. As he spoke, the air around them seemed to twist as water gathered about their feet, beginning to condense and swirl. Wolfram was reminded fleetingly of the whirlpool through which they had been sent to Earth, and then the water whipped up around them and it felt more like being caught in the middle of a storm. The rock walls around them seemed to shift, distort, and then melted away—and then suddenly, all five of them were falling, plummeting towards the vast expanse of the ocean hundreds of meters below.

Yup, definitely easier said than done.

"Ahhh!"

On the bright side, there was plenty of water to break their fall and the shore was only a short dragon's ride away.

.

"So you're leaving?"

Akai and Akami both looked disappointed as Yuuri entered the Aizawa living room with Wolfram in tow, both dressed in the clothes they had arrived on Earth wearing. Of course they knew their guests would have to go eventually, but eventually could be a long time. It was always so hard to say goodbye to people, especially when they'd managed to become a part of your life.

"Hey, don't look so sad," Yuuri said, crouching down so he could be at eye level with the twins. "Once I get the hang of this world travel business, we can come back and visit."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Beside him, Wolfram grinned. "And maybe your parents will let you come visit us in our world too. And we can teach you how to ride a horse, and maybe even use a real sword!"

Akai mirrored his grin at the thought. He'd seen the two Mazoku testing out their newly purchased swords in the backyard and immediately been hooked. "That would be awesome!"

Yuuri coughed, standing up. "Maybe not the swords, I don't think your parents would approve. But there are a whole lot of other interesting things. I mean, didn't you say you wanted to see a dragon?"

Akai's eyes went huge with awe and Akami squealed in delight. "Could we really?"

Real dragons were even better than real swords. After all, you could buy a real sword any day, but no one else they knew could claim that they had seen a real live dragon.

"I don't see why not. Wolf and I actually get along with the dragons pretty well." Meaning that the dragons didn't attack or try to eat them like they did with almost everybody else. The dragons really were quite fond of the new royal couple.

And so with the two children still excitedly discussing this possible future adventure, the Mazoku bid farewell to their hosts and made their way out into the yard where a portable swimming pool had been set up for them. Stepping into the water, Yuuri turned to give the house one last, rueful look, committing it to memory. Honestly, he was going to miss this place, but he had responsibilities now—_important_ responsibilities that he just couldn't put off any longer.

"You did promise we'd be back," Wolfram reminded him, correctly interpreting the expression on his face.

For a moment Yuuri didn't respond, then he turned to face Wolfram and smiled that bright but slightly idiotic smile that his angel had fallen in love with so many years ago. "I did, didn't I?"

And so now it was time to move forward. It was time to go home.

Besides, since he didn't want them to be laden down with too much luggage in case the transportations didn't go as planned, they would have to come back sometime to pick up Gwendal's stuffed teddy bear.

* * *

><p><strong>TBC… <strong>

* * *

><p>.<p> 


	10. Chance Meetings and Fate

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Kyo Kara Maoh.

**Pairings**: Yuuri x Wolfram

* * *

><p><strong>Our Once Upon a Time<strong>

**By V. Shalyr **

* * *

><p><strong>10. Chance Meetings and Fate<strong>

What had been supposed to be a simple trip home turned out to be an adventure in itself. Getting the hang of creating portals proved much trickier than Yuuri had anticipated. Making the portal itself was easy. It was making sure that that portal took them where they wanted to go that proved the real challenge.

Appearing from the whirlpool into the middle of a women's bath had been the most embarrassing experience of Yuuri's life. Once he'd realized where they were—it was hard not to with the screeching and frighteningly underdressed females all around them—even Wolfram had blushed in utter mortification. And Yuuri had grabbed him and hurriedly yanked them both back into the water.

Their next attempt found them splashing to the surface of a wide river. Thankfully, the current here was slow and they were able to tread water and get a good look around, spotting a few women washing laundry near the bank. Judging from the clothes, they could at least be sure that they were somewhere in Shin Makoku, if not exactly where.

"Good morning," Yuuri called, donning a smile in an attempt to ease their startled and nervous faces. "I know this might be a strange question, but can you tell us the date?"

The women exchanged looks as though trying to decide if they should answer or not. Wolfram suspected that they thought the two young men were crazy, but at last, one of them cupped her hands around her mouth and called back a reply. When Wolfram heard her words, he felt numb. A year! They had been gone for an entire year? Beside him Yuuri swore and they were off again.

Then there had been someone's private bathtub—thankfully empty, then that lake back on Earth where Wolfram had first arrived, and finally a freezing stream in the middle of a forest Shinou only knew where. The two of them sprawled on the grassy bank, exhausted and dizzy from the quick succession of transportations

"I'm sorry," Yuuri sighed, resting an arm across his eyes, still a little out of breath from this unaccustomed use of power.

"Don't apologize," Wolfram grumbled, panting as he struggled to get enough air into his lungs and settle the roiling in his stomach. "Just get it right."

Much more of this and Wolfram was afraid he'd reacquaint them both with the remains of his breakfast.

"Right." Taking a deep breath, Yuuri let it out slowly and cleared his mind. _Picture__where__you__want__to__go_, he reminded himself, _and__concentrate_. Trying to recall the fountain in the middle of Shinou's Temple in as much detail as he could remember, Yuuri reached out and grabbed Wolfram's hand, indicating without words that he was going to try the portal again. In silence the pair clambered wearily back to their feet and all but fell into the water once again.

When they opened their eyes once more, they were relieved to finally, _finally_ find themselves staring up at a familiar, intricately carved ceiling. The relief, however, was short lived as the sound of applause reached their ears. Sitting up, they spotted an all too familiar ghost standing between two of the pillars that stood around the temple fountain.

"You're back," Shinou stated calmly and rather unnecessarily. "That's good."

"You _bastard_!" Wolfram snarled, shaking off his travel sickness in favor of storming out of the shallow water towards the aforementioned ghost. "Do you know how much trouble you put us through? How dare you! And what if we hadn't been able to get back? It's been an entire _year_ over here. A year! Who knows what could have happened!"

Still sitting in the fountain, Yuuri grimaced as his angel's voice escalated into one of his full blown temper tantrums. Only Wolfram would dare to address the Great One with such great disrespect. Granted, the blonde fire wielder did have a point, and he and Shinou had a rather rocky relationship. Yuuri could clearly track Wolfram's dislike of the ghost to some years ago when Shinou had "borrowed" his body in order to play a prank on his dear future Sage—and prevent an assassination attempt on Lady Celi. That latter part had gone some ways in mollifying the fiery blond Mazoku, but only a little. The problem with being related to the Original King by blood was that it made it easy for the ghost to influence him with his powers, and even though Shinou had only taken advantage of this fact to possess him once, Wolfram was very good at holding grudges especially against people he didn't like and so had no desire to forgive.

"You _did_ make it back in one piece though," Shinou pointed out, completely unruffled by Wolfram's wrath. He was already dead after all, and a spirit at that. There wasn't really anything the fire wielder could actually do to harm him.

Fire blazed into life in Wolfram's hand. "That's not the point!"

Shinou seemed to consider this, a mock expression of deep contemplation settling over his semi-transparent features. This alone should have caused alarm bells to go off in their minds, but as it were, they were both too tired—and in Wolfram's case, too angry—to register it for the danger signal it was. "No, I suppose you're right."

This made Wolfram pause, his scowl turning into one of confusion. "What?"

"I said you're right," Shinou repeated, a smirk crawling onto his face as he leaned forward to catch his cute descendant's chin with long, pale fingers. Wolfram jerked a little in surprise when he actually felt the whisper of a touch on his skin. "Let me, ah, give you a gift to make up for it."

Before Wolfram could back away in alarm, blue eyes caught his own green ones and he couldn't look away. A strange sensation swept through him, sinking right into the marrow of his bones, and he only just registered the strength draining out of his knees before the world went dark.

At this point, Yuuri shot to his feet and splashed up the fountain steps. He gathered the unconscious fire wielder into his arms and glared over the golden locks at Shinou. "What did you do to him?"

The spirit coughed. "Don't worry, the spell just exhausted him. He'll be fine with a bit of rest. Think of it as an, ah, early wedding present to the both of you—and an apology for sending you two away so suddenly of course."

Yuuri frowned in bafflement, getting to his feet and cradling his slightly smaller companion against his chest. He couldn't sense anything different. "What spell? What did you do?"

"I'm sure you'll find out." The ghost merely offered him a sly wink before beginning to fade away. "You can thank me later."

Still not understanding Shinou's words but resigned to the fact that he wasn't going to get any more information out of said ghost, Yuuri shook his head and started towards the temple entrance. He had only just made it out into the courtyard when one of the priestesses spotted him and dropped everything she'd been carrying to clap excited hands to her mouth.

"Your Majesty! Is that really you?"

Pausing at the foot of the front steps, Yuuri offered her a reassuring if tired smile. "I'm sorry we've been gone for so long. Everyone must be worried sick. Please send word to Lord von Voltaire as soon as possible. I would like to speak to him, Lord Weller, and Lady Celi as soon as possible at the Shibuya mansion."

"I'll do it at once!"

She made to run towards where the messenger birds were kept but Yuuri stopped her before she'd taken more than a few steps.

"Oh, and one more thing. I'd like to borrow a horse, if it's all right."

"Of course, your Majesty. Do you need someone to show you to the stables?"

"Ah, no, that's all right. I think I remember where they are. Thank you."

.

When Jennifer opened the door to find her son and his intended on the doorstep, all she could do was scream and throw her arms around them in a storm of relief and happiness. "Oh, Yuuri, I was so worried! It's so good to have you home again!" Finally pulling away so she could give Wolfram a concerned look over, she added, "Is Wolfie all right? What happened?"

Shifting the blonde in his arms, Yuuri considered telling her what had actually happened and just as quickly discarded the idea since he still hadn't made sense of it either. "He's just tired. We've had a really hectic few weeks."

"The poor dear! You'd better take him upstairs at once. Are you hungry? Thirsty? I'll make something right away and bring it up for you."

"Thanks, Mom."

"It's Mama, how many times do I have to tell you that?"

It felt good to be back in his old familiar room and Yuuri let himself really relax for what seemed like the first time that day, and what a long day it was turning out to be. And with Wolfram's family hopefully on their way over, it could only get longer. But Yuuri wasn't going to think about that right now. He preferred to look on the bright, optimistic side of things—for the most part.

Wolfram stirred when Yuuri placed him on the bed, rolling onto his side and curling into himself before drowsily opening his eyes. He felt so warm and comfortable and sluggish somehow. "Where…?"

"At my parent's house," Yuuri answered, the bed dipping as he sat down beside him. "Are you okay? Do you feel, um, any different?"

Emerald eyes blinked lazily up at him before memories finally caught up and Wolfram frowned a little, taking a few moments to take stock of himself. "I…don't know."

Aside from the warm, tingly, rather pleasant feeling inside, all he felt was tired. The nausea from all their world hopping and messed up arrivals had completely disappeared, leaving not even a hint that it had ever been. If only there was something he could do to make seasickness go away this fast.

"Oh well, I guess that's okay then." Sighing a little, Yuuri shook his head and smiled. "Come on. You'd better get up and eat something before Conrad and the others arrive. Mom made curry."

A lot of the different foods on Earth had been great and they'd both acquired several favorites, but still, nothing could ever replace the things that you had grown up eating. Strange as it may sound, Yuuri rather thought that it hadn't really hit him that they were back in Shin Makoku until that moment in his familiar bedroom with a giant plate of his mother's famous recipe. They ate in comfortable silence, just enjoying the moment and preparing themselves for what was inevitably going to come after.

"Wolfie!"

Lady Celi's excited cry alerted them to the arrival of their visitors and Wolfram hurriedly pushed his plate aside just in time to be tackled by his mother and smothered against her ample bosom.

"Thank Shinou you're both back! You've got to tell us _everything_—well, when there's time of course. We've just got so much to catch up on."

Wolfram struggled out of his mother's suffocating embrace and glanced over to where his elder brothers stood just inside the doorway. Conrad smiled back at them in relief beside the dark figure of Gwendal who seemed to have added another crease to his forehead during the time they'd been away. Beyond them and crowding them further into the room were Yuuri's parents along with Shori who was rubbing his temple and grimacing. Wolfram wondered idly what had brought on the older man's headache.

"You all seem to be taking this rather well," Yuuri observed, voicing Wolfram's thoughts before he could.

"His Eminence the Great Sage informed us of where you were," Gwendal said flatly. "I trust it was time well spent?"

"As a matter of fact, yes, it was." Straightening his shoulders, Yuuri gestured for everyone to sit, his expression turning serious. "But enough of that. I suspect that stories of our trip can wait. How are things here right now?"

Silence reigned for several uncomfortable moments until Conrad sighed.

"I guess I'll start with the not-as-bad news. A few weeks ago, Rawsha's king and queen were assassinated. The crowned princess Rakell Rawsha disappeared with her baby sister the night of the attack. Yozak believes that they are still alive but in hiding."

That was…not good.

Yuuri frowned uneasily. "So what's the bad news?"

"Well," Shori started grimly, "the group that's currently taken over the kingdom—which also happens to be the group we believe responsible for orchestrating the assassinations—has somehow obtained a very powerful Mazoku artifact, a sword that used to belong to the very first demon king. Only a Maoh can actually use the sword, but they don't need to be able to use its powers to use it as a weapon of intimidation. Not only that but they're claiming that Shin Makoku is assisting them. Guess their leader fancies himself a demon king, or at least that's what he's telling everyone."

"But that's ridiculous!" Wolfram burst out, his temper flaring at what seemed to him like nothing short of blasphemy.

"Yes, well, that's kind of hard to prove when the real demon king hasn't been seen for an entire year."

"Right." Yuuri grimaced, rubbing the bridge of his nose and hoping he didn't develop a headache as well. He'd been expecting problems when they got home seeing as they had been absent for so long, but that didn't mean he hadn't been hoping that he was wrong. "So if we just go get the sword back and prove that we're not affiliated with this rebel group, we should be able to straighten things out, yes?"

"It would be a start," Gwendal said hesitantly. "But I'm sure actually carrying out such a plan would be much more complicated than it sounds."

"Yes, which is why I'm going to go myself," Yuuri declared.

"No," Shori said immediately, scowling. "That would be way too dangerous."

"But you said yourself that the sword can only actually be handled by the Maoh," Yuuri pointed out. "And besides, I won't be going by myself. Wolfram will be there"—he knew better than to try and leave the blonde behind—"and Conrad can come. It sounds like Yozak is already there, and maybe we can bring Eiri and Ryego. Rawsha is right next to us so we should all be able to access our Maryoku just fine. No more people than that though. We don't want to attract attention to ourselves and the last thing I want is to make it seem like we're actually invading."

In the pause that followed, everyone looked at Gwendal. The earth wielder sighed, massaging his temples. He hated risky plans like this. "Fine, I'll make the necessary arrangements."

"Good." Yuuri coughed. "Um, now that that's out of the way, on to happier matters. Mother, Lady Celi, I hope I don't regret this but seeing as we're going to be very busy, I'm appointing you two to plan our wedding—with some rules of course…"

.

Wolfram glowered at his reflection in the mirror, his expression clearly displaying what he thought of what he saw. "I still don't see why I need to go in disguise too."

Carefully putting the second brown-tinted contact in his other eye—it had taken him forever to learn how to do this—Yuuri blinked a couple times. Well, they weren't as uncomfortable as he had feared. "Wolf, you'd practically stand out more than I would. Besides, everyone's going in disguise."

"Ryego isn't," Wolfram pointed out, pouting as he fiddled with a lock of his hair which had been dyed a dirty sort of brown, at least in his opinion. Now he was just sulking.

Yuuri sighed, running a hand through his own now reddish brown hair. "No offense to him or anything, but you kind of can't get any more ordinary looking than Ryego." Besides, the solemn earth wielder carried this air about him that tended to keep people away, an added bonus on to already having brown hair and features it was hard for people to remember. "And don't worry about your hair. The maids say the dye will wash out in a few weeks."

"I'm not worried," Wolfram protested, following him from the room and down to the castle courtyard where the rest of their small party awaited their arrival. That was mostly true seeing as despite everything, Wolfram had never been particularly vain about his looks. It wasn't that he didn't _notice_the way most people looked at him, it was that he really didn't care—or maybe didn't believe them. The only people whose opinions made any lasting impressions in his mind were those from the people he cared about. "I just don't like it. It's bothersome."

"Maybe, but it's necessary. Just be glad it isn't permanent."

The border between Shin Makoku and Rawsha consisted almost entirely of one long stretch of forest. Almost no traffic of any kind had occurred between the two kingdoms in years, though there were the occasional mercenary or, more commonly, smuggler who traverse the borders to carry out their work. The rather rough relationship had resulted largely from a powerful religious sect with a potent hatred for demons and a lot of political influence.

"So what are we supposed to be?" Eiri asked, interrupting Ryego's monologue on the history of this particular border. Her originally blue hair had been cut short—somewhat to her dismay, and her grumblings had been added on to Wolfram's—and the color looked more like sand. Though in her case, it was probably more of a lack of dye, at least nobody thought blue hair could be natural. Granted, considering the world in which they lived, maybe that wouldn't be so peculiar after all.

"Mercenaries," Conrad answered, directing the wagon horse's down a narrow path through the trees. "Yozak says that the rebels are always looking to hire more. It should be a good way of getting closer to the imposter king. "Oh and, Miss Eiri, if you could please get off the wagon roof? We don't want to appear too unusual."

Letting out a dramatic sigh, the wind user plopped down onto the driver's seat beside him. "I know, I know. The breeze is just so nice up there."

Twisting around on her new perch, Eiri peered through the cloth flaps into the interior of the wagon and the three people seated inside poring over different documents. Yuuri was surrounded by reports sent back by their spies as well as reports concerning what had been happening in his kingdom for the past year. He had to get through all that information as quickly as possible so Wolfram could burn it before any of the wrong people could find it on their hands. Said blonde was currently occupied sorting through their supplies and checking over their equipment while Ryego studied a map of Rawsha and a book on the settlements they were likely to pass through.

Eiri opened her mouth to speak then decided against it, returning her gaze—and more importantly her ears—to the surrounding woods. That's right. She wasn't in the back with them doing her own research because she was in charge of keeping a look out, her mastery of the winds making her able to detect happenings much farther away than anyone else.

"It's kind of strange," she noted after awhile, rubbing the rough fabric of her patchy and slightly dirty shirt between two fingers. The clothes were another thing she and Wolfram had had a bone to pick about. But then mercenaries weren't exactly known for being the cleanest or most well dressed people in the world. "This forest seems awfully quiet. There aren't even a lot of birds, though I don't hear any people either."

"Maybe they're farther away," Conrad suggested.

Making a noncommittal sound in her throat, Eiri started to answer then froze, sitting straighter and her hands stilling on her lap. Conrad pulled the horses to a halt and looked at her expectantly.

Taking a deep breath, Eiri let it out slowly and shook her head, partly to clear it and partly to give her okay. "There are definitely people in this forest, and probably not people we want to meet right now. But they're not close. We shouldn't have any trouble."

She paused as though struggling with something then added, her expression distinctly troubled, "I can also hear a baby crying."

Conrad frowned. He didn't like the sound of that, and if he'd been on one of his patrols he might have chosen to go investigate. But as it were, he simply started the wagon moving again and kept silent.

.

Yozak had included the name of an inn in his last report, a moderately sized place near the center of town but enough out of the way that not too many people would be passing through. A rather burly looking maid met them as they stepped through the door, giving them a wink as "she" swept up to them.

"So glad you chose to visit our humble establishment! Will you be needing rooms for the night or simply a hot meal?"

"Both," Conrad answered, smiling. Lowering his voice, he added, "When does your shift end."

Replying in equally hushed tones, Yozak said, "At ten, darling. I'll meet you in your room."

Eiri giggled at his choice of words while the others made their way past the pair to where the innkeeper stood at the bar.

"We'd like three rooms for the night," Yuuri said, his expression giving nothing away. Wolfram decided to call it his politician's face.

The innkeeper glanced over them without much interest, stating the price and already reaching for the keys. Yuuri paid him and they made their way upstairs.

"Wolf and I will take the room at the end of the hall," Yuuri announced, tucking that key into his pocket then tossing the other two to Conrad and the wind Mazoku respectively. "Ryego can stay with Conrad and, of course, Eiri gets her own. It's been a bit of a long day so get some rest. We'll start the real work tomorrow morning."

Catching the key, Conrad nodded. "Shall I brief you on Yozak's report tomorrow morning as well then?"

"Yes, I think that would be best."

"I want a bath," Wolfram declared, folding his arms across his chest and lifting his nose.

Yuuri laughed, looping an arm around his waist and starting for their room. "Of course. Mind if I join you?"

"Yuuri!"

"Okay, okay, just kidding." Not really, but Yuuri thought he'd better not or who knew what he might do, rules be damned. "Take your bath and I'll order dinner."

Eiri hid a smile behind her had as she watched them go, though her smile turned wistful after the door had shut behind them. She really envied Wolfram sometimes. She wanted a nice boyfriend too, someone with manners but who also knew how to appreciate her. Good men could be so hard to come by these days.

"Hey," she started, turning to Ryego. "I'm going to get something to eat downstairs. Do you want to come?"

The earth user sighed. "Sorry, but I still have some things I need to finish looking over."

"Fine. Suit yourself."

Rolling her eyes, Eiri headed back down the stairs and into the dining area which was rapidly filling up with people. It was just her luck. The inn was small enough already from her point of view and now there were no free tables left.

Although…

The figure slumped at the small corner table started when Eiri pulled out the chair across from it—or her as it turned out. Huh, her hair was even shorter than Eiri's was now. Maybe she shouldn't have complained so much about that haircut.

"Hey, mind if I sit here? There doesn't seem to be any space left."

"I guess so." Despite the obvious bags under her eyes, the girl—young woman, she looked like she was in her late teens—had a startlingly penetrating gaze. That gaze swept over Eiri's face as though checking for something that she thankfully didn't find and then fell to the glint of steel at the wind user's waist. Eiri had forgotten to leave her sword in her room, but then it was probably safer to be armed anyway. And it wasn't like she was the only one in the tavern carrying weapons. Hazel eyes widened. "You're a soldier?"

Sensing her new companion's tension, Eiri raised her eyebrows. "Um, no. I'm a mercenary. My friends and I just got into town."

Huh, maybe she shouldn't have said that. The tension seemed to be getting worse.

"Oh." The young woman glanced around the crowded tavern then back at Eiri's face. "Are you from the capitol?"

"Nope." Lowering her voice conspiratorially, Eiri grinned. "We actually just arrived in this country. We heard there's a lot of work for mercenaries to be had around here right now."

"That's true," the other girl sighed heavily, her expression clouding over. The hand that Eiri could see resting on the table clenched and unclenched restlessly, and the Mazoku wondered what had happened to her. She would be the first to admit that she wasn't the best at reading people, but it didn't take a genius to see that her tablemate had been through some tough times, and probably hadn't come out the other side yet either.

"You okay?"

Instead of answering, she asked, "Are you looking for Izare then? I heard he's hired practically every mercenary that's set foot on Rawsha soil."

Izare, Izare—oh, right. Eiri seemed to recall the others mentioning the man. That was the name of the fool pretending to know and be supported by the demon king.

"Well, we haven't really made up our minds yet," Eiri said carefully. She really hoped this young woman wasn't too good at telling when someone was lying, but Eiri really wasn't a very good liar when you got down to it. Working for the man had been their plan after all, though she felt in her gut that she had just stumbled on something that promised to be much more interesting.

"I can't say we're all that fond of the idea, though we may not have much of a choice," Eiri added. That was true at least. None of them wanted or intended to actually work for the rebels. From what she'd heard, they weren't exactly your heroic revolutionaries. People who used the existence of demon swords to threaten people seldom were.

This information seemed to catch the girl off guard and she hesitated. Eiri could almost see her turning an idea over in her head.

"So then are you guys any good?"

Eiri smirked. Now this question she could answer with a hundred percent honesty too. "We're the best you'll ever find."

"How many of you are there?"

Okay, so Eiri was no longer sure she should be answering these questions, but it wasn't like the answer couldn't be easily obtained anyway. "Six."

.

Five pairs of eyes stared at the two women with varied expressions of surprise and skepticism.

Wolfram was the first to break the silence. "What did you say?"

Eiri shifted a little uncomfortably under the combined scrutiny of her companions. "Well, Rachel here says she has a job for us."

"A job," Ryego repeated, frowning. "Have you forgotten that we have important work to do? A lot of ground to cover before dark, for one."

The wind user grimaced. "Yes, I know that. But you've got to hear her out. She really does need help."

"It's not that we don't want to help," Conrad spoke up, trying to be diplomatic. "It's simply that we are on a tight schedule."

"Yes, I'm sure she could find someone else," Wolfram agreed. They didn't need to add unnecessary detours to this mission.

"You're mercenaries, aren't you?" The young woman—Rachel—demanded, speaking for the first time since Eiri had introduced her to them at the breakfast table. Despite the proud lift of her head, there was a veiled desperation in her eyes that caught all of their attention. "Well, I'm hiring you. Isn't that why you're here? To look for work? I assure you that I pay very well."

Falling silent, they all looked at Yuuri. The double black had been silent this entire time, his expression unreadable as he carefully studied the newcomer.

At last, he smiled and gestured at an empty chair. "Why don't you sit down and tell us what you want us to do?"

Taking a deep breath, Rachel sat down and folded her hands on the table before her. She steeled herself for a moment before saying, "My daughter was kidnapped two days ago. I need help to get her back…"

They finished breakfast in a hurry and Yozak went to the stables out back to help Conrad prepare their wagon. Everyone else returned to their rooms to collect their things.

The moment the door to their room shut behind them, Wolfram burst out, "Yuuri, why are we accepting the job? She said herself that she thinks the brigands who took her daughter work for the rebels. I thought the whole plan was to get into the rebel leader's favor so we could get close to the sword. This would ruin everything! We don't even know if she's telling the truth!"

"She's not," Yuuri said matter-of-factly, pulling on his coat.

"She's—" Wolfram gaped then his eyes flashed with anger. "So she's lying to us? Then why are we helping her?"

Yuuri shook his head, throwing their bags over his shoulder. "Listen, Wolf, she's lying but I'm not entirely sure what about. I have a few suspicions, but I need to know more before we make any assumptions. I'm not sure how but I think—no, I _know_—she's a good person and we can't just leave things like this."

"But, _Yuuri_!"

Yuuri sighed. "Wolf, just stop arguing, all right? That's an order. We are going to help her, so please get your coat so we can leave. I promise I'll explain everything later. Trust me."

Wolfram opened and shut his mouth then let out a frustrated sigh and grabbed his coat. The girl had better not pull any funny business.

.

With Eiri's discreet assistance, they located the brigands easily enough. The wind user was surprised to discover that it was the same group of people she'd heard when they'd been traveling through the forest the day before. So that meant the sound of a baby crying… The realization made her shiver and her eyes narrowed with distaste. What kind of barbarians kidnapped children? There were better ways to get money than ransom.

"Is that them?" Yuuri mouthed silently.

Rachel nodded and the double black returned his attention to the ragged camp in the clearing before them. Well, there weren't that many of them and he couldn't sense the presence of any human mages or esoteric stones. They wouldn't have any problems. Shifting his grip on his unsheathed sword, Yuuri narrowed his eyes and signaled for everyone to move.

They executed the invasion swiftly and efficiently for the most part. Yuuri had ordered them to kill only if absolutely necessary. As long as no one got a good look at them, they would be all right. And even if someone did catch a good look at their faces through the panic and adrenaline rush of the surprise assault, their descriptions were unlikely to do any good. That was the whole point of coming here in disguise after all.

The only hitch in the plan came when one of the smarter bandits seized the baby and pressed a knife to its neck. But before he could even make any threats, Ryego made a heaving gesture with his arms and the ground heaved beneath the man's feet, flinging him into the air with a startled cry. Wolfram dove forward to catch the wailing infant before the bundle could hit the ground and Yozak quickly knocked the remaining brigand unconscious with the hilt of his dagger.

Within moments, they were all gone from the clearing once more and settled in the group's canvas covered wagon as Yozak hurried them away from the scene of the crime.

Rachel sat on the floor of the wagon, hugging the baby girl to her as though afraid that she would disappear if she let go. But her eyes were fixed on the other people seated in the wagon, wide with a mixture of nervous emotions.

"That wasn't human magic," she said firmly. "Who are you people?"

Yuuri put a soothing hand on his fiance's back when he felt the fire user tense beside him. "We'll tell you, but only if you tell us what your real name is first."

Rachel shifted uncomfortably on the wooden boards, her grip tightening on the bundle in her arms in obvious anxiety. But then she squared her shoulders and said, "All right. I guess I don't have much choice at this point. Too much has happened and I've run out of options." She trailed off, seeming more to be talking to herself than the rest of them. Then her gaze sharpened and she met their eyes steadily. "My name is Rakell Rawsha."

Wolfram blinked, forgetting his earlier irritation in favor of disbelieving incredulity. Rakell Rawsha, as in the crowned princess who had gone missing several weeks ago?

Yuuri and Yozak were the only ones who didn't seem surprised. From the driver's seat, they could hear the spy chuckle and mutter a "thought so" under his breath.

"And that's your baby sister, not your daughter," Yuuri stated calmly.

Rakell frowned uncertainly. "You…knew?"

"I guessed." Yuuri shrugged and smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry. You could say that we're sort of on your side. As you may or may not have guessed, we're actually from Shin Makoku."

"You're demons," she breathed, not quite shocked but also not quite relaxed. "So you _are_here for Izare."

"To prove that he's not affiliated with us, yes," Yuuri replied before she could make any assumptions of her own. "You see, I greatly dislike bloodshed and I refuse to sit back and allow someone to use my title to justify violence."

Leaning against Yuuri's side, Wolfram smirked slightly, amused by the drop-jawed expression on their new traveling companion's face. Somehow, he didn't think Yuuri matched her idea of a demon king. But really, what did people in these human lands really know about the Maohs of Shin Makoku anyway?

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><p><strong>TBC… <strong>

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><p><strong>AN<strong>: Reviews are appreciated!

Also, I kind of want to change the summary for this story since I don't particularly like the one I have now, but I'm not sure what to change it to (or maybe not?). In any case, suggestions are welcome. Maybe something like "Growing up in Shin Makoku…" Hmm…

Merry Christmas everyone! And have a great weekend.

.


	11. Power and Peace

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Kyo Kara Maoh.

**Pairings**: Yuuri x Wolfram

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><p><strong>Our Once Upon a Time<strong>

**By V. Shalyr **

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><p><strong>11. Power and Peace<strong>

Emerald eyes hidden behind colored contacts that made them look almost gray peered around the marketplace with open curiosity. The truth was that Wolfram had never been to any kingdom other than Shin Makoku. It seemed a little strange really to think that he'd been to a whole other world but never seen the next country over from the place where he'd been born. And honestly, he'd never felt the lack before either. Yuuri was the adventurous one, the one who dreamed about seeing other places and exploring lands where no one else had ever been. The double black had gotten them into so much trouble when they were younger sneaking off into the town or exploring the forest while their parents' and brothers' backs were turned. And of course Wolfram always went with him. He never cared where they went as long as Yuuri promised not to leave him behind.

"I've never seen this kind of fruit before," he noted, picking up one of the bright blue spheres then putting it down again before the owner of the stand could object or insist that he buy it. "What do you think it is, Yuuri?"

"Don't know, but it doesn't look like a lot of people are buying it so maybe it doesn't taste very good."

Now that Yuuri had mentioned it, it did seem as though the blue fruit was the only one still available in large quantities this late in the day. Their group had arrived on the outskirts of the capitol city just as the afternoon was turning into evening, and Yuuri had volunteered them to buy supplies while Yozak slipped off to the castle. Wolfram suspected that what his fiancé had really wanted was to get a look around and supplies were just an excuse. Not that it mattered either way though. What the fire wielder really wanted after days of traveling through poor countryside and back roads was to sleep in an actual inn, but they were close now to places where Rakell had grown up and they were afraid that someone might recognize her.

"What about this?"

Wolfram looked at the display in front of them. "Is that pork?"

Yuuri shrugged. "It kind of looks like pork, or maybe it's steak. But hey, meat's meat, right?"

To someone who had spent a lot more time in the kitchen with Jennifer Shibuya, no. But Wolfram supposed there wasn't really much point in being picky. "I guess it will do. How much should be buy? Don't forget that we still have that rabbit we caught this morning."

By the time they finally returned to the small camp they'd set up some distance from the road but still within sight of the settlement lights, night had truly fallen. Wolfram lit the fire and he and Conrad set about preparing dinner. Rakell sat watching them with her baby sister in her lap, close enough to enjoy the fire's warmth but far enough away to not get in the way. They had bought milk from a farm they'd passed earlier in the day and the child was now sleeping.

"Are you okay? You've barely spoken since we've gotten close to the capitol."

She glanced up as the double black came to stand beside her, though his gaze was also trained on the happenings beside the fire. "I suppose I'm just nervous about being back here. I left it in such a hurry and everything that's happened still doesn't feel real sometimes."

"Do you miss them?" Yuuri asked quietly. "Your parents."

He could only imagine how he'd feel if someone had killed his parents. He'd be furious, and somehow, he doubted he'd be able to keep the anger in check if the killer had been right there in front of him.

The young woman's smile was a little sad. "I don't have time to miss them, not yet."

And it was strange to realize then how different the rulers of different countries could be. Rakell wasn't a Mazoku. She probably didn't even know how to handle a sword let alone magic of any kind. She was brave and determined, but bravery and determination didn't count for much sometimes. If he'd really been so inclined, Yuuri could probably destroy entire kingdoms with the kind of power he wielded both as the Maoh and as himself, become the kind of demon king people of this kingdom had probably told nightmarish stories to their children about. And even though he hadn't and didn't believe he would ever choose to do such a thing, it was a _possibility_, and just the possibility was enough.

"We'll find a way to help you make things right."

Rakell laughed, shaking her head in amusement. "So now I'm being helped by the real Maoh of Shin Makoku in order to get back a throne stolen by someone else claiming to be supported by the Maoh of Shin Makoku. Well, I suppose stranger things have happened. Though I still can't believe you're the demon king."

"Why not? Demons and humans really aren't so different when you get down to it. We might live a little longer and have different abilities, but you know, that's true of a lot of humans too. We're all different but we all live in this world and we all want to be happy. If you ask me, that's more than enough for people to have in common."

"Yuuri," Wolfram's voice reached them from the other side of the camp where he was rummaging through their packs and frowning, "did we buy any salt? The meat is far too bland."

"I'm pretty sure we did that a few days ago. I'll check the wagon."

Looking after the departing Mazoku, Rakell wondered what kind of a place Shin Makoku really was. She'd never stopped to think about it before, but maybe she should have. And she felt more than a bit lucky to have run into this particular group of people at such a time as this. Perhaps Fate really was looking out for them all as her father had said.

Shortly afterwards, Yozak arrived back at camp, ditching what looked suspiciously like the uniform of the castle guards and just in time for dinner too. Carefully setting her sleeping sister in a makeshift crib the spy had rustled up, Rakell moved to join them.

.

"It seems that we're in luck," Yozak announced, finally setting down his empty plate. "This Izare fellow might have taken over this place for the most part, but the hearts of quite a few of the original royal guards still belong to the royal family—well, the ones that are still alive anyway."

"Yozak," Conrad said warningly, casting a worried look at the princess.

"Sorry, Captain—and Princess. That was a bit tactless of me."

"I suppose that's good news," Wolfram conceded, prodding the fire with a twig. "But it's not going to be much help with how many of the rebels are stationed around here."

"No, not if an actual battle broke out. But there are more than enough of them to take care of Lady Rakell here and get her to safety in case we have to detain some very confused and angry rebels. We're not here to start a revolution, folks. We're here to get the sword, clear our name, and get out of here. It sounds like there was a lot of discontent with the previous order of things, but there's also still a lot of hope that it can be better, especially since it seems the princess had a fairly good reputation. That should be more than enough to give the princess here and those loyal to her a chance to get back the throne. That's the thing when you try to rule by fear. People don't like you. And as soon as that fear factor is removed, they'll jump at the chance to be rid of these people."

Rakell nodded slowly, her gaze wandering back to the dancing flames. "That will be more than enough, thank you."

Yuuri frowned. "Are you sure there isn't more we can do?"

She shook her head. "It'll be enough that people know Izare's a liar, and that the real Maoh stepped in. You see…" She hesitated then raised her chin and continued, "a lot of the discontent Izare was able to build off of was because of the prejudice in our government against Mazoku blood. As you probably know, Rawsha has always been a very conservative and closed off kind of country, but that doesn't change the fact that we're right next to Shin Makoku. You might be surprised at how many people here have at least a touch of demon blood from way back in their family trees. It's not really talked about, but I'm beginning to think that's the problem. We never talk about it and so the resentment just keeps building up until you get something like this."

She waved her hands emphatically to indicate the landscape around them and the city in the distance. "I… I knew that there are people trying to build an opposition group, but I guess I didn't have the courage to look for them. I had a lot of things to think through, but then you people came along and—I think I've figured some things out. I don't know exactly what yet, but it's about time I stopped running."

They all went quiet, their faces grim as their minds wandered back to different things, different realizations that they'd had at some point in their lives when important decisions had to be made. Ryego finally broke the silence.

"I do not understand how Izare managed to get a hold of the sword in the first place," he observed, his forehead wrinkling in a way that reminded Wolfram strongly of his eldest brother. "From my research, I thought that the demon sword was left on an island in a place where only the Maoh could retrieve it. And yet it's here."

"We're sure it's not a fake, right?" Eiri asked.

Conrad nodded. "It was the first thing we checked when we heard the news."

"Hold on," Eiri piped up, "didn't someone say that this kingdom was crawling with human magic users? If you had enough magic or maybe enough magic users combined, do you think you could somehow make the sword—I don't know, _safe_?"

Everyone looked at Rakell, being the one probably most familiar with human sorcery out of the seven of them.

"Izare's never claimed to be a magic user, but it would explain a lot of the things he's been able to do."

"You sound like you know him," Wolfram noted. He'd dropped his twig and was now playing with a spark he'd pulled from the fire, idly letting it dance above his fingers. It had taken so much work and practice for him to be able to do this, though Yuuri was probably the only one who'd ever know how frustrated the exercise had made him when it had become known that it would be on the fire users' final exams. The blonde was a powerful fire user, but like a lot of inexperienced fire users, lacked control. It was a regular side affect of the rather bright and temperamental element.

"He used to be a friend of my mother's, or maybe they just knew each other from their parents having been close. I don't think he was ever a real friend. Mother did tell me one thing about him once that I never forgot. She said that he once told her that what he really wanted was to be a demon. That deep down, he's just really afraid."

"Afraid, huh?" Yuuri rested his elbows on his knees, staring thoughtfully at the spark flickering in the air above Wolfram's hands. A sudden, almost evil grin spread across his face. "I think I have an idea. We're going to make sure we leave an impression that this Izare will never forget…"

It took until well past midnight for Yuuri to finish outlining his plans. The full blooded Mazoku would have a lot of work to do and Eiri, Ryego, and Wolfram excused themselves to get some sleep shortly after. Yuuri waited a little longer, walking around the perimeter of the camp and murmuring notes to himself. Finally, he stopped to say goodnight to the three people still sitting by the fire and retired as well.

Eiri had laid out seven sets of blankets, one for each of the adult members of their party. But instead of claiming one of the empty sleeping arrangements, Yuuri stifled another yawn and made a beeline for Wolfram, slipping under the covers beside him as though it was the most natural thing in the world and turning so he could wrap an arm around the blonde's waist and drag him back against his chest. Wolfram curled into himself a little more and grumbled something incoherent at being disturbed, but otherwise only settled back into this new position, his breathing evening out once more.

Rakell stared, blinked a few times then stared some more. "Do they…always sleep like that?"

Following the direction of her stare, Conrad smiled slightly. "As a matter of fact, yes they do."

"Oh." A contemplative pause then, "Are they…?"

"We expect the wedding will be taking place sometime in the next few years." Depending on how long it took their mothers to finish the necessary preparations.

Ah, well, that certainly explained a lot of things, including why the fire Mazoku occasionally threw suspicious glares her way for no apparent reason, usually when she was talking with the Maoh. And to think she'd thought she'd done something to offend him. Maybe they'd get along better if she let him know that she wasn't interested in trying to steal his fiancé.

.

The city looked completely different at night and not in a way that Wolfram liked. Sure, there were lights in a lot of windows and people could be heard talking in the warmth of their apartments and homes, but outside the streets were utterly deserted. It was downright creepy.

At the front of the small group, Rakell paused to check for any guards or people returning home late from work before turning down a narrow alley, the dark cloaks they'd all thrown over themselves making her blend into the darkness. Conrad lingered in the rear with his sword loose in its sheath, ready to act should their plans be interrupted. Yozak had wanted to accompany them as well but had been stuck with baby duty.

They didn't slow down until they reached the small woods behind the castle. Eiri cupped a hand to her ear and listened hard.

"There are several guards and servants still awake," she whispered.

"Don't worry. Not a lot of people know this route." Kneeling beside what seemed to be a collection of boulders Rakell shifted a few rocks, dug her fingers under the largest boulder, and heaved. With a soft thud, the boulder shifted aside to show that it had been hollowed out and used to block the opening to a narrow flight of stairs. "It was an escape passage designed by the Rawsha royal family when the castle was built. It's how I got away and it opens into most of the major parts of the castle, the ones where my ancestors thought their descendants would be if an attack came."

Peering down the rocky steps, Yuuri took a deep breath and let it out slowly, his eyes narrowing. "Right, so everyone is clear on their parts, right? There will be no talking once we get into the castle."

His companions murmured their acknowledgement and they started down into the shadowy corridor, a tiny light flaring into life in Wolfram's hands as Conrad moved the rocky door back into place behind them.

Tracking down the man they were looking for proved…difficult. The castle was huge and they didn't have that much time to search it room by room. So in the end, Rakell led them to the northern wing of the castle where the largest personal living quarters were located and they waited a little anxiously for their target to come to them instead. Hopefully, Izare wasn't an insomniac.

They caught the sound of footsteps long before they saw anyone. Peeking through a peephole in the wall of their hideout, Rakell sucked in a sharp breath and spun around to give them a curt nod. It was the man they were after all right. Tension grew in the air as she spun back and then held up four fingers for them to see. He was headed for the fourth room down the hall. Without having to be prompted, Ryego reached into the stones of the castle with his Maryoku and reshaped them just enough to temporarily jam the door while the others hurried to the secret doorway that would bring them into the correct suite. Ryego watched Izare rattle the door with a slightly raised eyebrow, mentally counting to ten before freeing the door. It swung open with a slight squeak, its hinges just a little bent out of shape—oops—but thankfully not so much so as to be noticeable. As soon as the man disappeared inside and the door swung shut once more, Ryego resealed it, this time so that no amount of rattling would get it free, pulling the stone up to form a sturdy frame around what would no longer be an exit.

Now, all Ryego could do was wait, and keep an eye out for anyone who might interrupt them. Damn, despite never having been a theatre fan, some small part of him really wanted to see the scene that was about to unfold. It was bound to be… Memorable.

As soon as Eiri felt Ryego close off the room's exit and spotted the man by the door, she summoned a violent gust of wind that swept about the suite, extinguishing all the lamps and leaving the rooms in complete darkness. The man muttered a curse under his breath, not yet aware that anything unusual had occurred—until the voice spoke in the blackness.

"Izare Endyena."

The cold, dark voice made everyone in the room shiver.

"Who's there?" the man demanded, startled. He stopped trying to find a way to relight the lamp nearest him and took a step back, his hand falling to the hilt of the sword at his side. "I'm warning you now. I—"

A low chuckle cut him off. Taking this as his cue, Wolfram concentrated and sent fire racing along the walls of the room, making sure that they only gave light instead of burning. They weren't trying to burn this place down after all. And since it was Yuuri, Wolfram put in the extra effort and turned the flames a brilliant, icy blue. He was rather proud of that trick.

The sudden illumination revealed a black-clad figure lounging regally in the room's single armchair. Narrowed eyes like dark ice fixed Izare with a penetrating gaze that Wolfram knew from experience could freeze a person right down to the bone. The ebony bangs that framed his sharp features lent him a menacing air that only intensified the longer he studied his prey.

Watching him, Wolfram found it a little hard to breathe and he was reminded of how much Yuuri had grown up in the last few decades. Beside him in their hiding place behind one of the side walls, Eiri stifled a gasp and Wolfram realized belatedly that not a lot of people had yet had a chance to see Yuuri like _this_. This was the normally easygoing double black in full Maoh mode and he was actually… Well, quite intimidating to be completely truthful, perhaps even more so precisely because they were all so accustomed to his amiable, much more forgiving side.

A little further back in the secret passageway, Rakell desperately wanted to see what was going on, but Conrad laid a soothing hand on her shoulder and shook his head, hoping she could see it well enough in the dark.

"Ah yes, the infamous demon sword," Yuuri observed, his voice still bitingly chilly. "Don't bother trying to lie to me. I know you can't use it."

Oh yes, the man was definitely a coward at heart. Even from their hiding place, Wolfram could see him shaking with growing fear, though he had to give him credit for managing to splutter an indignant, "What? How dare you! Of course I—"

"Can't," Yuuri finished for him, interrupting him yet again. "I know because it's mine. And I don't like people messing around with what belongs to me."

Yuuri could see the exact moment the realization dawned on the man just who exactly it was he was talking to. He let go of the sword hilt as though it had burnt him, his hazel eyes going wide. But then—then he bowed low to the demon king and said something none of them had been expecting.

"My deepest apologies, your Majesty," he said, and his voice only trembled a little from the fear that was written so obviously across his features. "But this was all for you and your kingdom."

Yuuri was taken aback by this but didn't let it show on his face. Instead, he raised one skeptical eyebrow and ordered, "Explain."

Izare swallowed hard, not quite daring to straighten up. "Of course, your Majesty. I assure you I had no intention of challenging your authority. I merely wished to offer you a gift so that I may perhaps make a humble request in return. And what better gift for a king than a kingdom?"

On the other side of the wall, Eiri and Wolfram exchanged wide-eyed looks of their own, silently agreeing on one thing. This man was clearly crazy.

Behind his mask of indifference, Yuuri silently agreed that Izare was a bit of a lunatic. Though out of curiosity, he couldn't help but ask, "And that request would be?"

He didn't have to see the eagerness on the man's face to hear it in his immediate reply.

"Life, your Majesty. Life as long as a Mazoku's."

Life as long as a Mazoku? Could he really do that? Yuuri wondered. He actually had no idea. He'd noticed that Shinou seemed to be able to do some unusual things with his Maryoku, things that no other Maryoku user could. Did being the Maoh grant him the ability to change people that way? Mentally, he gave himself a hard shake. This wasn't the time to be wondering about this. He could ask the ghost king or the head priestess Urike about it when they got home.

Resting his elbow against the arm of the chair, Yuuri made a displeased sound, noting the way Izare flinched. "That doesn't change the fact that you took something that does not belong to you. And unfortunately," for Izare anyway, "I have no interest in owning this kingdom."

He waited until the man started shifting uncomfortably on his feet before continuing. "I should kill you for your insolence."

The man all but stopped breathing.

"However… I am willing to overlook this as long as you return the sword to me now and then leave this place." Yuuri paused again then added carefully, "I hear that there are a lot of people with demon blood in this kingdom. You have disappointed a great many people with your actions, including people who may have ancestors from my own lands. Once you leave here, I want you to do everything you can to help these people as well as the humans. After all, you are human and no one likes a traitor, especially me. If you do your job well, ask me again in—oh, let's say two decades, and I will reconsider granting your request."

Izare was too relieved at being allowed to live to do anything other than nod. He pulled the sword free but before he could approach, Yuuri summoned a miniature water dragon and directed it to bring the weapon to him. It was always better to be cautious, and the goal of this entire display was to impress and terrify after all. Once the sheathed blade was in his grasp, Yuuri glared one last warning at Izare.

"If you disobey me and insist on pursuing this foolishness, I promise that you _will_ die."

And with that, the light went out.

None of them spoke as they made their way back through the castle and into the underground passage that would bring them back to the woods. But at the foot of the steps, Rakell stopped. Frowning down at her feet, she asked quietly, "Do you think he'll do it?"

"By the way he was shaking in his boots, I'd say yes," Wolfram replied.

Yuuri nodded. "I hope so. Maybe then he can make up for at least some of what he's done."

"And if he doesn't? If he leaves here and just hurts more people?"

The flickering of Wolfram's flame cast stark shadows across the double black's face, his bangs momentarily obscuring his eyes. "Then he may have to die after all. I was being entirely serious about that. It's just… Well, I would like to believe that he will learn from this and take this opportunity to change and make amends. But as a leader, you have to protect the people who depend on you. You might not always like the decisions you have to make, but in the end, you still have to make them because you're the only one who can."

And that was never an easy lesson to learn.

.

"Yuuri? You didn't come to dinner."

The double black glanced up at the hesitant inquiry, smiling apologetically at the blond Mazoku. "Sorry, I have a lot on my mind."

"You don't like it here, do you?"

Yuuri started to lie then thought better of it. There really wasn't much point in lying to Wolfram. They'd known each other for far too long. "No, I don't."

They had been at the opposition camp for almost two weeks now. Unlike all the other members of their original party, the two of them had an entire tent to themselves, both out of deference and something else. It hadn't bothered him that much when they'd first arrived, but two weeks later and he'd had just about enough of it all. The problem being that losing his temper wouldn't help the situation at all.

"They're afraid of me, you know."

Wolfram could have scoffed at the humans' cowardice. He could have reminded Yuuri that that was to be expected seeing as he was the Maoh and fear may be a good thing—it was a part of respect. He could have said a lot of things, but one look at the shadow in Yuuri's eyes and he shut up. Instead, he just went to sit beside his fiancé on the sleeping cushions, mutely waiting for him to continue.

"It's not a good kind of fear," Yuuri said as though having read his mind. Then he laughed a little because there was a time when he would have automatically labeled all fear as a bad thing. It was just the kind of person he was. But he was a king now. Maybe he hadn't been one for very long officially, but he'd been preparing for it almost his entire life, and he knew that the world wasn't quite as simple as that.

"It's not the kind of fear you get in respect, or even the kind that everyone has when you know you should be wary of someone because—because they're _dangerous_. It's—" and he had to pause to find the right word "like dread and terror and despair all mixed into one. And I'm tired of it."

"So why don't we just leave?" Wolfram asked. He thought it was a rather reasonable question all considered. They didn't really have any more obligations here. Yuuri was the Maoh. All he had to do was say the word and they would be packed and ready to go by sundown.

"I would, but I still have to decide what to do with this." Yuuri tapped the sword resting across his lap, the skull face upon its hilt still fast asleep just as it had been when they'd first retrieved it.

"You haven't broken the seal yet? But why?"

"Honestly? I'm not sure that I should."

Now Wolfram was confused. "Wasn't that kind of the whole point?"

"I guess it was, but now…" Yuuri trailed off then sighed. Setting the sword aside, he moved to sit against a stack of pillows—way too many for just two people really—and motioned at Wolfram. The blonde crawled across the small sea of blankets and lay down as requested with his head on Yuuri's lap. Green eyes fluttered shut as fingers began to run through his hair then opened again to peer up at his fiancé.

"You know that makes me sleepy. You should probably stop if you want me to listen to you."

The king chuckled. "Sorry, but it helps me think. So do try to stay awake, okay?"

Wolfram nodded but shut his eyes again. He was just too comfortable to keep them open.

"If I break the seal and we take the sword back with us, all the other kingdoms will just be more afraid—like the people here were afraid. They aren't going to want to listen to proposals of peace like that."

"Yes they will. Because they wouldn't want to have to fight you."

Yuuri rolled his eyes. Leave it to his temperamental angel to say that. "I know, but what good would that do? That wouldn't be real peace. It would just be the false calm before a storm until people get scared and crazy and desperate enough to start the wars all over again. Besides, if I just show up and fight in a few border battles, I'm pretty sure they'll catch on quickly that they don't want to have to fight me. I don't need some ancient demon sword to prove that."

Well, Wolfram had to admit that that was probably true. "So then what do you want to do?"

The fingers stilled in his hair for a moment then started to move again as Yuuri answered, "If only there's some way to show everyone that I mean it when I say that I don't want to conquer other kingdoms or kill anyone as long as they respect my people and the boundaries of my kingdom. Something to show that I really do want peace."

"But even if you don't break the seal on the sword, they'll still know that you _can_. It would amount to pretty much the same thing."

Yuuri hummed thoughtfully. "That's true…"

And in that case, there was really only one thing he could do.

.

"You're leaving?" All activity paused as Rakell arrived on the edge of the scene, breathing hard as though she'd run all the way to meet them once she'd gotten their message.

Motioning for the others to continue their departure preparations, Yuuri went over to her with Wolfram trailing behind to watch. "Yeah, sorry for the short notice. I'm glad you came because I needed to ask you a favor."

"Anything I can do to repay all of your help."

Pulling the demon sword sheath and all from where he'd temporarily tucked it into his belt, Yuuri held it out to her. "I'd like you to hide this somewhere so neither I nor any of the people who serve me know where it is."

This announcement made everyone stop again to stare at him.

"Yuuri," Wolfram hissed in the shocked silence, "you can't just _give _it to her! I'm not saying that she'll use it against us or anything, but what if someone else gets a hold of it? What if someone else breaks the seal on it or finds a way to use it?"

Okay, so his angel had a point. It would be irresponsible of him to just leave the blade where anyone else could get a hold of it again; they could just end up repeating this whole fiasco. Yuuri thought for a moment then freed one hand to touch the skull engraved upon the hilt. Sapphire light flashed and the image of a dragon glowed momentarily along the blade before it faded once more. "There. Now I've put my own seal on it. I've made sure it won't harm you since you've got to carry it for now, Rakell, but once you've found a place for it to rest, no one will be able to touch it again. So in order for anyone to use the sword, they'd not only have to break the original human magic seal, they'll also have to get a Maoh to break mine so they can retrieve it."

And that was that. The Maoh had made his decision and he wasn't going to change his mind.

To her credit, Rakell didn't waste too much time on her surprise.

"I'll do that," she said, handling the sheathed blade a little gingerly as she took it. "Um, give me a moment—I'll be back. I wanted to ask a favor of you too."

That said, she dashed back towards the center of the camp where her own tent was, returning several moments later at a more sedate pace with something carefully cradled against her. Her eyes looked a bit sad but her shoulders were set with determination.

"I know this is kind of sudden," she started hesitantly, "but things are still going to be rather dangerous around here and I've got a lot of work ahead of me. So… Well, I was kind of hoping you could take care of my sister. I want her to grow up somewhere safe, somewhere beautiful, and…and I think she could learn a lot from you two."

This time, she wasn't just talking to Yuuri.

Caught totally off guard and stunned speechless for once, Wolfram looked at the bundle in Rakell's arms then at Yuuri, the question clear in his emerald eyes. The double black glanced from his fiancé to the baby then back again. Well, Wolfram _had _said that he liked kids.

Turning back to Rakell, he offered her a smile. "We'd love to."

The princess and soon-to-be queen of Rawsha smiled in return, one of the first, genuinely happy smiles they had ever seen on her face. "My deepest gratitude, and good luck—with everything. I look forward to seeing what kind of kingdom you will create."

"You're welcome," Yuuri assured her. "So…what's her name?"

Hugging her baby sister to her one last time, Rakell's expression softened. "Greta. Her name is Greta."

* * *

><p><strong>TBC… <strong>

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><p><strong>.<strong>


	12. Long Awaited Moments

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Kyo Kara Maoh.

**Pairings**: Yuuri x Wolfram

**AN**: Ah, Greta. I thought for awhile on whether or not to include her in the story. I chose to have in appear in the end since I like having references to major events in a series in Aus. Though I will say that chances are she won't feature prominently in this story since I'm not entirely sure how to work with her character.

* * *

><p><strong>Our Once Upon a Time<strong>

**By V. Shalyr **

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><p><strong>12. Long Awaited Moments<strong>

Gwendal knocked on the door to the new king's suite, paused and then knocked again. The wrinkles in his brow deepened when no response came. The 27th Maoh of Shin Makoku was usually an early riser, but he hadn't seen his Majesty in his office where he ought to have been, nor had he been outside where Gwendal knew the boy liked to escape whenever he had the chance.

"Your Majesty."

When several more minutes ticked by without even the hint of movement beyond, he carefully opened the door. "Your Majesty?"

Damn, the room was empty as he'd expected. So where could the double black have gone. Gwendal couldn't believe that he would up and disappear for no reason with the important date only one day away. Though come to think of it, Yuuri had been acting odd lately, spacing out during meals or at his work like his mind was elsewhere.

It had all started almost a week ago when Wolfram had been sent to the Bielefeld territory where he was to stay until it was time for the wedding. That was the custom, but neither boy had been particularly happy about it—both because they hadn't liked the idea of being separated and because Wolfram had never really gotten along with his uncle with whom he would have to live.

Gwendal was just about to shut the door again when a breeze caught his attention and he noticed that the window was open. With a heavy sigh and a resigned shake of his head, the earth Mazoku made his way back down the corridor towards his own study.

Then again, this new king only seemed to bother with custom when it suited his purposes.

Gwendal could already foresee that he was going to have a hell of a lot of headaches in the coming decades.

.

Emerald eyes glowered at the blank, white canvas. His mood had gone increasingly downhill since leaving Blood Pledge Castle. He missed Yuuri and Conrad and Yuuri and Greta and Yuuri—and even his mother and Gwendal. Funny really, he hadn't realized it until now but ever since they'd started school, he and Yuuri had never been apart for this long and he couldn't help but to feel a bit lonely especially here surrounded by people he barely knew. It wasn't that his relatives on his father's side were mean or anything, though they did occasionally say things that made him feel uncomfortable or unsettled when they thought he wasn't listening. They were just…distant in the way people were when they weren't really sure what they should think of you. Wolfram was never sure where all this tension and uncertainty had come from though it was most likely related to his non-existent father. Wolfram never asked because he didn't like to think about that. He hadn't seen the man in more than half a century and his mother and brothers never talked about him.

He'd closeted himself in his room with his artwork in the hopes that it would distract him, but so far it hadn't been working. He just couldn't think of what to paint. Where had this ridiculous separation custom for couples about to marry come from anyway?

"Wolf?"

If he closed his eyes, he thought he could still hear Yuuri's voice.

"Hey, Wolf!"

Okay, he had a pretty good imagination, but he was pretty sure it wasn't _that_ good. Snapping his eyes open, Wolfram looked wildly around the room. "Yuuri?"

"Over here!"

Following the source of the loud whisper, Wolfram found a very familiar face peering through his open window. When he caught his gaze, Yuuri waved and grinned. "Hi."

"Yuuri!" Abandoning his untouched canvas, Wolfram raced over to the window and threw his arms around Yuuri's neck, almost pulling him through it.

Yuuri laughed, wrapping his arms around his angel's waist to steady himself and pull him into a tight hug. "Hey, careful there. You'll make me lose my concentration. Did you really have to pick a room on the third floor?"

Realization hitting him, Wolfram pulled away so he could lean over the sill and look down. Yuuri was balancing on…a giant sphere of water? Well, Yuuri had always been good at finding creative ways to do things. They didn't always _work_, but at least he got points for effort.

"How did you get here? Aren't you supposed to be working?"

Yuuri made a face. "I've had enough of work. Hell, I'm getting married tomorrow. It hardly seems fair to have to work all day today."

"You mean _we_'re getting married," Wolfram corrected him, pouting a little though it was mostly just for show. He still couldn't believe the double black was actually here.

"Of course, love, it'll be all about us," Yuuri agreed, grabbing his hand. "Now come on or we're going to miss it!"

"Miss what?" Wolfram demanded, glancing nervously at the ground three stories below. Yuuri's perch did not look particularly safe and he wasn't at all eager to join him on it.

"It's a surprise."

Tugging his wrist free, Wolfram crossed his arms over his narrow chest and frowned. Of course he wanted to get out of here and spend time with the person he cared about most in the world, but he felt duty-bound to remind him, "We're not supposed to be doing this."

"I'm the king. Who's going to complain?"

"Let me see. Big Brother, Günter—"

"Okay, okay, I get it. But no one ever has to know as long as we stay out of sight and neither of us says anything."

They, or at least Gwendal, probably already knew but technically Yuuri had a point. "What about Greta? I thought you said you'd keep an eye on her."

At four and a half years old, the little girl was turning out to be quite a handful, though everyone at the castle adored her.

"My mother took her shopping for tomorrow," Yuuri told him. "She also volunteered to take care of her for a few days after the wedding so we can have some time to ourselves. Lady Anissina also volunteered her services, but I figured Mom would be a safer option."

"Oh."

When the blonde continued to hesitate, Yuuri sighed. They didn't have time for his angel to dither between what he thought he should be doing and what he obviously would prefer. Not waiting for him to finish his internal debate, Yuuri leaned through the window again, bracing his feet on the water and praying that it would hold the weight, and scooped Wolfram up into his arms.

The blonde yelped and threw his arms around his neck again. "Hey!"

"Shh, keep it down. We don't want anyone to come up here and think I'm kidnapping you or something. The Maoh's not supposed to be here, remember? Who knows what they'd take me for."

Wolfram shut up, peered anxiously down at the ground and tightened his grip. "Don't you dare drop me."

"I won't," Yuuri assured him though he too cast a slightly uneasy look down. "Um, but try to hold still until we're back on the ground."

Slowly the sphere of water began to descend. When it finally touched the ground and dissolved, both of them let out sighs of relief. Then without another word, Yuuri took off towards a stand of trees in the distance and Wolfram followed.

As soon as they made it to the trees, Wolfram understood where it was they were going. Because lying there within the grove was a dragon, its scales glittering crimson and gold in the sunlight. Wolfram recognized it as one of the newer additions to the mountain dragon preserve, having been found and relocated from a stretch of woodland further south. When it spotted them, it lifted its triangular head and rumbled in greeting.

Wolfram gripped Yuuri's arm in excitement. "Yuuri, you mean—they came to tell us?"

The double black nodded, not even bothering to try to keep the wide, excited grin off his own face. "Yup, so let's not keep them waiting. Nature waits for no one after all."

It wasn't the first time they had flown on dragon-back but they never enjoyed it any less. The wind in their hair and the beautiful earth laid out like a perfect map so far below never got any less amazing. Still, this time, they were too focused on their destination to revel in the trip.

They landed in the mouth of the massive cavern in a flurry of great leather wings and the dragon crouched low so they could slide from its back. Once they were firmly on the ground, it tucked its wings to its side and padded inside, its serpentine tail swishing in delighted agitation. The two Mazoku exchanged expectant looks and followed, keeping quiet out of respect.

At the center of the giant cavern lay a second dragon, its brilliant gold body curled around a blazing fire. It hummed in greeting when it noticed them but otherwise, all of its attention was fixed upon the large white objects wreathed within the flames. It looked like they had arrived just in time. The eggs had already begun to shake.

Their ride went to lie beside his mate, growling softly. Moments after he had settled onto the warm stone floor, there was a sharp crack. A line appeared on one of the largest eggs and it began to rock even more violently until it fell sideways and split open. A tiny, glittering body still wet with yoke tumbled from the ruined shell, squealing. Its mother hummed and moved her head to hover over it, licking the hatchling clean and herding it towards her warm side.

Wolfram could hardly breathe. Yuuri's arms tightened around him which didn't help.

These were the first dragons to hatch here since they had founded the preserve and it truly was a beautiful, wonderful, amazing thing to be witnessing. They had known the event would be coming for weeks. The now-mother dragon had been so excited to give them the good news last time they'd visited the preserve that she'd almost squashed them when she overshot her landing. Several tons of dragon barreling towards you at breakneck speed out of the sky was a terrifying experience for even the bravest of warriors, but once the massive creature had managed to convey to them the reason for her joy, they had forgotten all about their split second of panic.

Wolfram gasped as a second egg tottered from the blazing flames and shattered upon the stone, spilling its precious contents beside its mother's forepaw. This one was slightly smaller and more slender than the first and shone a brilliant emerald green that reminded Yuuri of the color of his angel's eyes. It lay sprawled on the cavern floor for a moment before shakily staggering to its feet. Both its parents hummed in encouragement. Suddenly, the hatchling sneezed and a tiny gout of fire made a scorch mark on the rock. It reared back in surprise and fanned its wings which shimmered a remarkable translucent green backed by the firelight. Its parents huffed in amusement and their Mazoku guests laughed.

By the time the last egg had cracked, five hatchlings were sleeping curled beneath the protective shelter of their mother's wings. Their father's slitted eyes shone with fierce pride as he carefully got back to his feet. He would bring their guests back to their homes and return as soon as he could.

"I wish we didn't have to go," Yuuri sighed, burying his nose in his angel's golden hair.

Wolfram smiled, tracing the fingers of the hands clasped in front of him. "But we do. If we're still missing at sunset, they will have to send out search parties. Besides, I'll see you tomorrow."

Tomorrow. Yes, tomorrow was going to be a whole new kind of beginning. And this time, it was going to be theirs.

.

"Oh, I can't believe my baby is getting married!"

Wolfram winced at his mother's shrill exclamation. He should have been used to it by now, except that his mother was hugging him to her and the cry had been right next to his ear.

"Mother…"

Perhaps sensing the odd undertone to her youngest son's voice, Lady Celi let go of him and straightened up, her smile fading a little when she examined their reflections in the mirror of the dressing room. Two pairs of emerald eyes framed with the same wavy hair that looked like it had been spun from sunlight. Unlike her two elder sons, Wolfram had remained on the petite side and still stood several inches shorter than her. Maybe it was selfish of her but Celi found herself rather glad about this. It let her hold on to the image of him as her precious little boy a little longer, but now it just wasn't going to be possible anymore. Her baby was getting married; the king was taking him away from her, but she couldn't really fault him for that. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, Yuuri had been taking him away from her for years now, ever since the first time they'd met. And she'd let it happen because she'd been so busy and so relieved to see her baby smiling again. Where had all the time gone?

"What's wrong, Wolfie?"

Wolfram looked away, fiddling with the gold-embroidered sleeve of his formal, white coat then smoothing it out again. It was long, reaching almost to the ground and he was wearing it loose—well, it didn't have any buttons or ties so he didn't have a choice. "I…"

He paused, struggling to get the words out. His mother was not exactly the person he usually preferred to confide in, but he didn't have a lot of choices at the moment and he honestly couldn't think of anyone else. Actually, confiding in people in general had never been something he was good at, but he was working on it. Yuuri always said it was better to talk. Of course, he mostly said that when they were younger and Wolfram got mad or upset at him for reasons Yuuri couldn't understand, but seeing as explaining his reasons did improve things, he had to concede that the double black was right.

"I—I guess I'm just a little scared." There, he'd said it. It had taken a lot to admit it aloud but he had.

Celi blinked. On another day she might have teased him about this, but she was enough of a mother to know that this wasn't the time. "Why is that?"

"I'm… I—what if Yuuri changes his mind?"

"You know he would never do that. He loves you."

_And you love him_, she thought, smiling. _More than anything. _

"But…"

And maybe that was just it. Their emerald eyes locked in the mirror and it finally occurred to Lady Celi just why her son was suddenly feeling so insecure. After all, whatever had happened between them over the years, she was still his mother, the first person he'd looked to when he was still a child. And she'd had three children, each with a different man, the last of which had left her while Wolfram was still too young to understand their reasons but not young enough to have forgotten.

Yuuri was the only one Wolfram had ever wanted. And when he loved, he loved with everything he had. That was the nature of fire.

In that respect, they were so incredibly different.

"Oh, Wolfie," she sighed, pulling him into her arms again and smoothing out a lock of his hair so like her own only shorter. He looked so young, she thought. And to think the he was the first of her three sons to get married. "You two have always believed in each other before. This is no different. All this does is make it official."

She could see her youngest thinking about this. Finally, he nodded and lifted his chin, a more familiar expression of stubborn determination settling over his pale features. "Thank you, Mother."

Celi giggled. Now that the need for seriousness had passed, any inclination towards solemnity evaporated. "Aww, my little angel is getting married! I want to hear all the details tomorrow."

"Mother!"

Lady Celi just laughed at the scandalized expression on his face. Her Wolfie was so adorable when he was embarrassed. How _did_ all her sons grow up to be so proper?

.

The wedding took place in the middle of spring. And of course, being the Maoh's wedding and having been coordinated by two very enthusiastic women with startlingly good taste, it was spectacular.

Of course, it had taken them three years to organize everything, but hey, who was counting?

There were flowers everywhere, spilling from the edge of rooftops and twined about the lamps that stood at intervals along the streets. Lights had been woven amidst the branches of trees and, though they weren't quite as visible in the bright daylight, once night fell, it would look like the streets themselves had been scattered with stars.

The entire face of the capitol city had been transformed by the occasion, because it was more than just a wedding. It was a celebration, a moment to lift everyone's spirits and remind them of just what life had to offer.

The ceremony itself was held in a massive, open-air temple, the largest temple in the city. The white marble structure had been polished until it was almost blinding. The more high ranking guests occupied the first few rows of seats and everyone who had managed to get in early enough was crammed into the pews behind them. Yuuri had never seen so many people together in one place in his life. Standing before the altar at the front of the temple, he tried hard not to fidget nervously with the hem of his black coat. His finely embroidered cloak felt unusually heavy upon his shoulders and he tried to focus on the calming, rhythmic gurgle of the water fountain beyond the altar.

Unfortunately for the two mothers, tradition dictated the general style of the garments worn by the soon-to-be royal couple. Yuuri's garments looked very similar to the ensemble he'd worn for his coronation though accompanied by the crown he had not had until after that particular ceremony. He hadn't been allowed to see Wolfram since the blonde had arrived early that morning to be hustled away by his mother to have the final adjustments made on his own clothes. Yuuri had a basic idea of what those would be like and he couldn't help but keep imagining how his fiancé would look in them, but then the temple doors opened and for once, imagination really couldn't hold a candle to the real thing.

If anyone had asked him later to describe what Wolfram had been wearing, the best Yuuri would have been able to do was "something white". His angel could have arrived for the ceremony in rags and he would still have been the most beautiful creature he had ever seen.

On any other day, Yuuri would have punched Murata Ken for the perverted, knowing look he was giving them from the other side of the altar. Being the temple representative officiating the ceremony, the bespectacled double black had an excellent view of the couple, and he was quite open to appreciating the way the blond Mazoku's clothes clung to his slim figure in all the right places under the glimmering folds of his long, loose coat. But as it were, Yuuri didn't even notice—which was definitely a good thing as the Maoh punching the Great Sage in the face would totally have ruined the mood.

Seated in the front row between Lady Anissina and Günter von Christ, Gwendal couldn't seem to decide whether he should be glowering at the Great Sage or the king. And then his silver-haired companion started sniffling and rattling on about the poetry of the wondrous moment and Gwendal wondered if he should be glowering at his mother instead for making such terrible seating arrangements. It was like she had set out just to torment him. And what had she meant when she'd told him that she hoped to be planning another wedding soon? She couldn't possibly mean him and one of these two crazy demons…could she? Gwendal shuddered and hurriedly pulled his attention back to the ceremony. The last thing he needed was for his mother to start meddling in his love life.

Wolfram walked with his escort down the long isle from the temple doors towards the altar, unfazed by the countless pairs of eyes watching him and the music and the murmurs in the background. It wasn't until he met Yuuri's dark gaze that he started feeling self conscious. He looked so handsome standing there waiting for him, his black hair and eyes so distinctly unique in Shin Makoku. Wolfram could still remember the first time they'd met so clearly, Yuuri grinning and just as happy as Wolfram to be out of that stuffy dinner party declaring that they ought to go hunting for the flower that was his namesake—standing in the shelter of a tree in the rain with Yuuri's arms around him in an attempt to keep him warm. Even then Yuuri had been so thoughtful—a little clueless but caring nonetheless. They'd both been so childish, still were sometimes though neither of them would willingly admit _that_. Of course, childish or not, Wolfram had been perfectly serious then when he'd informed his new friend that said friend would someday ask him to marry him. But he still couldn't quite believe that Yuuri had really done it. Of course, at the moment the double black looked a bit dazed and Wolfram couldn't help but wonder about that, but he was also smiling albeit a bit lopsidedly, so that was probably a good sign, right? He'd been too preoccupied with his own worries in the dressing room to actually take a good look at himself.

When Wolfram arrived to join Yuuri at the altar and the other was still staring, he had other things to worry about. Moving a bit closer, the blonde discreetly elbowed him in the side and hissed, "Oi, pay attention."

Yuuri blinked in confusion for a moment before grinning sheepishly and murmuring a quiet apology. He turned his gaze back to the Great Sage who had already begun to speak.

Moving to stand beside Conrad, Lady Celi listened as the new couple took their vows, the smile gracing her lips unusually soft. So maybe she hadn't always been the best mother in the world, but she liked to believe that she'd done her best. And with her baby standing at the altar looking so radiant and so happy as the king leaned down to kiss him, she rather thought that her belief wasn't completely unfounded.

.

With the celebratory banquet, accepting congratulations, acknowledging important guests, and performing the necessary dances, it was well past evening before the royal couple was able to escape back to the privacy of their own quarters. Yuuri shut the door behind them with a relieved sigh and, as an afterthought, locked it before following his now consort towards their bedroom.

Wolfram paused before the giant pile of colorful bags and boxes the servants had placed in the corner, regarding it dubiously. "What are we going to do with all _these_?"

"Open them, I guess." Eyeing the many, many packages, Yuuri added, "But maybe tomorrow."

He had other things on his mind tonight.

"I guess. Hey look, this one's from the Temple," Wolfram said suddenly, crouching down beside a rather large present wrapped in gold, blue, and black. "Maybe we should open it just in case it explodes or something during the night."

"I don't think even Murata would try to pull any pranks on an occasion like this." At least Yuuri would like to think so, though he hesitated for only a moment before joining his angel in carefully removing the wrapping paper—just in case.

What they found were more than two dozen books. This in itself wouldn't have been all that peculiar except that careful examination of their covers showed that they were all from Earth. One book in particular seemed a bit different from the others and Yuuri picked it up, raising an eyebrow at the lack of lettering on the cover and spine. "I wonder what…"

He trailed off in surprise and Wolfram leaned over to see what he was staring at. Inside, the pages of this book were covered in pictures, very realistic pictures—of the two of them?

"What the…" Wolfram stared. He recognized the two of them eating breakfast with the Aizawa family, standing in line at the amusement park, and staggering off their first ride looking rather shaken. The book was full of images from their stay in the other world. "How in the world did the Sage get these?"

"I'm not sure I want to know," Yuuri muttered, though he couldn't help smiling when he turned the page to find a picture of the two of them laughing while they watched Akai and Akami's class play. "But putting that aside, I think this was actually rather thoughtful of him."

Shutting the book, Yuuri set it back on the pile and the two of them sat for a long moment just looking at one another. Yuuri's mouth felt dry and Wolfram's cheeks were rapidly turning pink.

The blonde shifted a little anxiously when the king just continued to stare at him. "Well?" he snapped, covering his own nervousness with irritation, "what are you waiting for? An invitation?"

Smirking, the Maoh stood up, pulling his consort with him as he did so. "Maybe, but that will do."

And somehow, that made most of the nervousness that had been gathering like a lead weight in the pit of Wolfram's stomach go away. Okay, so maybe they'd never "gone all the way" as he'd heard other people put it, but it wasn't like they'd never touched and they more or less knew how it was supposed to be done. Actually, there had been horrible, mandatory classes about "it" during their time at the Academy where pretty much all the students had spent the lessons laughing awkwardly and trying not to look at one another; it didn't mean they hadn't been listening. More importantly, Yuuri was still Yuuri. The fact that they were married now didn't change that. And when Yuuri slid his fingers into his hair and tugged his head back to capture his lips in a much more heated kiss than the one they'd shared in front of the altar, he was reminded that this wasn't really a good time for thinking anyway. Yuuri swept his tongue across his lips, savoring the soft sweetness before delving past them to ravish his mouth. Moaning softly, Wolfram slid his arms up around the double black's neck to pull him closer, loving the feel of ebony hair between his fingers. He'd never understood Yuuri's apparent fascination with his hair when Yuuri's was so much more interesting, so completely _black_. Nope, not the time to be thinking at all.

Besides, he trusted his king to be careful with him. Because whether he was the Maoh or not, this was Yuuri, the same person he had loved for years now and who he knew loved him too just as deeply—could feel it in the way he touched him, the way he smiled when he looked at him—how hard he tried to make sure everything was okay even if it didn't always end up right. And that was enough.

"You have no idea how long I've been waiting to do this," Yuuri murmured, nipping his way down the pale skin of his neck.

Wolfram laughed a little breathlessly, feeling the silk covers against his back. When had they ended up on the bed? He wasn't sure. "Good. Then get a move on because I'm tired of waiting."

Yuuri paused in his ministrations for a moment to just admire the beautiful, flushed, and somewhat disheveled angel underneath him, his own eyes flickering between pure black and slitted gray in the candlelight. And for a moment, the expression on his face softened to his usual slightly idiotic but loving smile before it turned predatory and he leaned down to finally claim what had technically already been his a long time ago.

Neither of them noticed the card that had fluttered to the carpet from the picture album's open pages. And even if they'd seen it, the side with the message had landed face down so they wouldn't have seen the elegant, oddly shimmering letters that almost seemed to waver phantom-like upon the white paper. It wasn't a very long message at all, just a single line of text and a signature:

_Remember my gift._

_~ Shinou_

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><p><strong>TBC… <strong>

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><p>.<p> 


	13. A Gift Like No Other

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Kyo Kara Maoh.

**Pairings**: Yuuri x Wolfram

**Warnings**: Mpreg

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><p><strong>Our Once Upon a Time<strong>

**By V. Shalyr **

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><p><strong>13. A Gift Like No Other<strong>

Yuuri was starting to get very worried.

The tiles of the bathroom floor were cold beneath his bare feet as he crouched beside Wolfram who had his head hung low in exhaustion over the porcelain bowl of the toilet in their private bath, his blond hair hanging somewhat limply about his pallid face.

"Wolf, I really think you should go see Gisela," Yuuri said, still rubbing gentle, soothing circles on his angel's back. The castle healer could be scarily stern when it came to her patients, but that was just one of the qualities that made her so good at her work. "This is the fourth time this week."

The weird thing was that aside from the fact that whatever the blonde ate for dinner tended to put in a reappearance the morning after, Wolfram didn't seem to actually be sick. He wasn't coughing, didn't have a fever, and there weren't even any real stomachaches, just lots of nausea that came and went.

Wolfram groaned softly, leaning back against the double black's chest. "Don't want to."

He disliked being confined in the infirmary at the best of times, and he wasn't even sick. He knew from past experience that the nausea would pass. He just needed to rest for awhile longer and maybe get something to drink. A cup of water was sounding extremely good right about now.

"Why do you have to be so stubborn?" Yuuri sighed. Gathering his angel into his arms, he stood up, his back straight with determination as he strode out of the bathroom towards their bedroom door.

"Hey! Yuuri, what are you doing?"

"Taking you to see a healer whether you like it or not."

"But I'm not sick!" Wolfram protested. He struggled in vain to scramble out of Yuuri's grasp. When it became clear that the Maoh wasn't going to let him go, he reached out to grab a hold of a corner of their bedcovers as they passed it. The entire weight of said bedcovers was dragged after them and Yuuri paused to try and free the fabric from his consort's clutching fingers.

"_Wolfram_—"

"No!"

"You're being childish."

"I don't care. I just want to go back to bed!"

The small flare of Maryoku that followed this outburst caused both the Maoh and his consort to pause in their argument, their eyes swiveling in the direction of the source. Across the room, the long curtains of the bedroom window had spontaneously caught fire. Both Mazoku stared at the merrily burning draperies for several startled moments before Yuuri remembered that the fire was in danger of spreading and put it out with a wave of his hand. He looked down at his angel with concern.

"You didn't intend to do that, did you?"

They had been perfectly good curtains. For that matter, Wolfram had been the one who picked them out seeing as he'd hated the original pattern and Yuuri hadn't cared one way or another.

Mutely, Wolfram shook his head.

"I'll go get Gisela," Yuuri said firmly.

And this time, the blonde didn't argue.

.

The moment the green-haired healer arrived, she shooed Yuuri out of the bedroom and shut the door behind him. He stood for a moment staring in disbelief at the closed portal, wanting to protest. He was the king! Wolfram was _his_ consort. He thought he ought to have the right to be in the room when she did her examination. Still, he supposed it was standard procedure and Gisela was the ultimate authority when it came to the physical well being of all the castle's inhabitants.

"Yuuri!"

At the sound of his name, Yuuri finally turned away from the door and smiled at the little, brown-haired girl who had just slipped into the sitting room of the royal suite. It amazed him every time he saw her how quickly humans grew. They had raised her as if she were really their daughter, though they'd made sure she knew early on that they weren't her parents by blood. It didn't seem right for her not to know, especially when she was bound to return to her own kingdom one day. They'd even introduced her to her elder sister when she'd arrived to attend their wedding and Rakell now visited whenever she could. Interestingly enough, the royal couple's happy event seemed to have bolstered the morale of the people in both their kingdoms. Personally, Yuuri thought that was one more point in the favor of peace and diplomacy.

"Good morning, Greta. Have you eaten breakfast yet?"

Running up to him, the girl gave him a quick hug before pulling away and looking around in confusion. "No, I haven't. Auntie Jennifer said we're going somewhere special but I wanted to see if you two wanted to come. Where's Wolfram?"

"Ah, he's not feeling very well," Yuuri explained, crouching down so they could be at eye level. Why don't you go ahead without us? I'm going to stay here in case he needs me."

"Oh." Greta nodded. She looked a bit disappointed, but she understood that both of her guardians were busy people. "Is he going to be all right?"

"I'm sure he'll be fine." At least Yuuri seriously hoped so.

After the little girl had left, Yuuri lingered uncertainly in the middle of the room, trying to figure out what to do next. He was feeling a bit too anxious to be hungry, in which case he supposed he might as well move on to more unavoidable matters. He had to get started with the business of the day but Yuuri didn't want to leave Wolfram. So instead, he ordered a servant to bring him the most recent stack of paperwork and sat down in their sitting room to work while he waited for the healer's verdict.

So much had been happening lately. Only two years had passed since their wedding, no time at all for a Mazoku, and yet so much had changed or begun to change. A few trade routes had been officially set up between Shin Makoku and Rawsha with encouraging results in both kingdoms' economies. At Yuuri's instruction, Conrad and Yozak had been frequenting both sides of the border, assisting in the set up of programs to help integrate people with mixed human and Mazoku blood, and their combined efforts had drawn much attention from other nearby kingdoms. Not to say there wasn't still fighting going on. Of course it wouldn't be that easy. But it was a start and, with Wolfram and Gwendal's assistance, Yuuri was already making plans to approach some of the other kingdoms in hopes of building a more diplomatic relationship. All in all, they had high hopes for the future.

Hmm, it looked as though one of the mostly human countries had been severely arming up though. It seemed they'd have to watch out for that. It shouldn't be a problem though with how well the army had been performing lately. There had been several very promising new graduates from the Academy and Wolfram had spent a lot of time and energy in creating a special group of guards specializing in the use of Maryoku. Though on Yuuri's insistence, he had added several half Mazoku and full humans to the group as well to prevent against possible traps by enemy human magic users. It was just like his hotheaded partner not to take that into account right at the beginning.

Speaking of which, yet another stolen glance at the clock on the wall showed that almost an hour had passed since Gisela had closeted herself in their bedroom with Wolfram. What was taking them so long?

Almost as though having read his thoughts, the bedroom door suddenly opened and the healer emerged with a slight frown furrowing her brow.

"You may go in now, your Majesty," she said calmly, though she didn't quite meet his eyes. "I will be back in just a minute."

Yuuri didn't need her to tell him twice. In moments he was up and through the door, sitting down on the bed next to his consort and looking him over for any changes. There didn't appear to be any aside from the annoyed scowl on his face. "So what did she say?"

Wolfram plucked at the bedcovers rather sulkily. "Nothing. She said she wanted to tell both of us at the same time."

He shot his king a slight glare, still a bit irritated about being forced to see a healer even if he'd also been more than a little freaked out by the whole fire incident. An hour of being poked and prodded by the green-haired woman had left him in no mood to be reasonable. But Yuuri ignored his glare with the ease of much practice and instead looked back at the door as Gisela returned carrying a laden tray. Setting it on the nightstand, she poured a mug full of something hot that smelled strongly of lemons and pushed it into Wolfram's hands.

"It should help settle your stomach," she explained. Turning to Yuuri, she continued, "Make sure he doesn't skip any meals. I'll inform the kitchen staff not to prepare any spicy dishes for awhile, and make sure he gets lots of liquids so he doesn't get dehydrated. That should help with the nausea too."

Nodding and noting all this down in his mind, Yuuri waited patiently until she ran out of breath before asking, "So what's wrong with him? Is he sick?"

The healer hesitated, shifting her weight a little awkwardly from foot to foot. This was unusual enough behavior on her part that both the Maoh and his consort stared at her with renewed concern.

"Well, I wouldn't say anything's wrong per say. In fact, he's very healthy."

Wolfram would have liked to say "I told you so" but he could just tell that there was a "but" coming up. He might have been rash but he wasn't an idiot and he had grudgingly accepted the fact earlier that morning that something had to be amiss. Mazoku weren't supposed to just lose control over their powers like that, especially not adult Mazoku who had already been through all the necessary Maryoku training. If he'd been a child still, it might have been a different story. But he wasn't and that was the important part.

Yuuri wasn't sure what to say so he kept silent, prompting the healer to continue. He was generally quite good at reading people but Gisela's current expression confused him. She seemed…more confused than anything. At least she didn't seem scared or worried. That had to be a good sign, right?

Finally, the healer cleared her throat and caught their gazes with her own. "I know this is going to sound strange," she began slowly as though sure they would not believe her, "but my congratulations. It seems that Lord Wolfram," she paused, coughing a little, "is pregnant."

"…"

Yuuri and Wolfram sat on the bed stock still, frozen in shock. The healer wasn't joking, they were sure; this wasn't something she would joke about.

All the same, Yuuri couldn't help but ask, "Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure," Gisela replied firmly. She'd been just as surprised. It was the main reason her examination had taken such a long time. "But as for how that's possible… Your guess is as good as mine. While I was studying my craft, I did come across some stories of demons that had undergone such physical changes. But I thought they were only myths, not to mention I'd imagine a tremendous amount of Maryoku would be required to pull it off. Even then, I would think it would be highly difficult to do. People's bodies are a lot more resilient to magical influence than one might think."

There was another long few minutes of utter stillness before Yuuri's thoughts finally pulled themselves together and started working again and abruptly whirred into overdrive. His arm tightened around Wolfram's waist.

_A tremendous amount of Maryoku… Some avenue to make it easier for one person to influence another using magic…like maybe a blood relation… _

Damn, Yuuri thought he had a pretty good idea of how this had happened. He glanced sidelong at Wolfram, wondering if he'd made the connection yet, but the blond Mazoku still hadn't so much as twitched, probably still stuck on the "what" as opposed to the "how". Yuuri would have been too except it was hard to sit back and think about this with Gisela still watching them.

"Is there anything else we should be aware of?" Yuuri asked instead.

"The accident with the fire this morning, the chances are fairly high that it may happen again. Mothers with a high level of Maryoku often experience imbalances and unpredictable fluctuations in their Maryoku when they're expecting. It doesn't always happen, but from what you told me, I'd expect a lot more accidents."

"Okay, I think we can handle that." It would take some arranging, but they had no shortage of fire and water users to stand by for damage control if necessary. "Anything else?"

The healer considered this for a second then shook her head. "I'd like to check up on Lord Wolfram again in a few days. Until then, I would highly recommend he stay off his feet as much as possible."

"All right, then please return to your usual duties. We'll let you know immediately if anything changes or if we have any more questions."

Acknowledging his dismissal with a slight curtsy, the healer departed, leaving the royal couple alone at last. In the sudden, real silence, Yuuri could hear his heart pounding in his chest. Oh Shinou, Wolfram was pregnant. His _male_ consort was pregnant with their child. They were going to have a _baby_.

Yuuri could feel the strange mixture of excitement, incredulity, happiness, and still a bit of disbelief welling up inside him, but squashed it when he turned to Wolfram to find that the other still hadn't reacted. His emerald eyes were unreadable and he'd moved one hand to rest it lightly over his stomach. The blonde had definitely been quiet for a long time, too long, and Yuuri found his excitement quickly changing to anxiety. Quiet just wasn't a word you normally used to describe his angel except maybe when he was asleep..

"Wolf, are you okay?"

He must still be really shocked, which was perfectly understandable. But was he upset? Yuuri certainly hoped not, but then Wolfram didn't usually take well to surprises and this unexpected development could be nothing but that. Not to mention that it meant he'd have to stay inside the castle more and keep off his feet, both difficult things for someone who liked to be up and doing things more often than not.

At long last, pensive, emerald eyes focused on him and Wolfram opened his mouth to speak. Yuuri braced himself for the worst, but instead, what came out of his angel's mouth was, "I want twins."

"…Huh?" Yuuri blinked. "Uh, twins?"

Wolfram nodded. "You can go tell Shinou that I want twins."

That…wasn't exactly the kind of reaction Yuuri had been expecting. Happiness? Maybe. Unhappiness? Just as likely. But a demand that the Original King give him twins?

Well, this whole situation was technically Shinou's doing. Maybe such a demand wouldn't be all that unreasonable. At any rate, it wouldn't hurt to ask.

"Er, love, are you sure you're okay?"

Finally noticing his bewilderment, Wolfram gave him a confused frown. "Of course I'm okay. Why shouldn't I be?"

And with the tension gone, Yuuri could tell that his angel's eyes were bright with what indeed looked very much like excitement. Only the next moment, those same eyes narrowed and shot him a wary, suspicious look.

"You're not upset, are you?"

Yuuri could just sense his angel starting to bristle and hurried to reassure him. Allowing the wide smile he'd been holding back to break out across his face, he wrapped his arms around his angel's slim waist, pulling him flush against him before proceeding to kiss him senseless. Nope, he wasn't upset at all. He was _ecstatic_. They could worry about telling the rest of the family later.

.

The Temple was quiet when Yuuri finally arrived, most of the staff probably gathered somewhere eating lunch or gone out into the city. Yuuri had sent Murata on a diplomatic mission a few days ago and the Sage wasn't due back for at least another week. The place really was a lot more peaceful without him.

"I was wondering when you'd finally come looking for me. I was starting to wonder if I'd done my work wrong."

Yuuri took his time turning to face the owner of that voice. It was all too recognizable and he was in no hurry to see the ghost again in person. Shinou's blue eyes danced with far too much amusement as he materialized beside one of the temple pillars. Perhaps he'd been far too bored with the Great Sage unavailable to entertain him.

"I have been sent to inform you that Wolfram wants twins."

The ghost of the Original King stared at him for a long moment then threw back his head and laughed. He laughed so hard that the sound echoed through the halls of the great temple. Yuuri simply folded his arms across his chest and raised an eyebrow.

Finally calming down, Shinou gave the current Maoh a sly grin. "As far as I'm concerned, that's your job."

Yuuri frowned. He was far too used to both the ghost king and the Great Sage's perverse senses of humor to react to their jibes anymore. "Even I can't guarantee _that_. Uh, can I?"

It sounded like a ridiculous question in his own ears but really, there were obviously a lot of things a Maoh could do that he was unaware of.

"No," Shinou agreed, the corners of his lips still twitching with barely suppressed humor. "In which case I recommend praying."

"Right," Yuuri said dryly, "says the person we all pray to."

"Point taken."

Shaking his head, the double black just sighed. The corner of his own lips quirked upward. He just couldn't help it. "Thanks."

Shinou winked. "You're welcome, both of you. I'm sure you'll make a wonderful father, and my dear descendant is bound to be a very interesting mother. I look forward to seeing how things unfold."

"If his brothers are angry, I'm sending them over to you."

"Fair enough. Though you know, there are some advantages to being dead."

Like not having to worry about someone trying to kill you again. Not that he was worried really. He had the feeling everyone was going to be too busy and maybe too shocked to have energy to spare for that.

.

It wasn't until dinner that the whole family actually reconvened in the castle, and so consequentially, it wasn't until dinner that the royal couple decided to make their announcement. And even then, they thoughtfully waited until everyone was done eating. A full stomach could prepare people for anything—hopefully. And that way, there was the added bonus of there being nothing for anyone to choke on.

Yuuri coughed, calling everyone's attention to the head of the table where he and his consort were sitting. Once he was sure all eyes were on him, he cleared his throat and declared, "Wolfram and I have an announcement to make."

Well, Wolfram, Yuuri, and Gisela to be more exact. The pair had figured that the others would be less likely to disbelieve them if the chief healer made the announcement on their behalf. Catching the king's eyes, Gisela nodded in understanding and stood up. Placing a serious but happy smile on her face, she spoke, her voice ringing clearly through the dining hall.

"Lord Wolfram is pregnant."

You could have heard a pin drop in the ensuing silence. Wolfram shifted a little nervously in his seat and Yuuri reached over to grasp his hand under the table, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Frankly, he was pretty nervous too. But at a time like this he had to be calm for the both of them. "Calm" and "Wolfram" just weren't words that could belong for long in the same sentence especially in stressful circumstances.

Gwendal's eyebrow twitched. The smile froze on Conrad's face. Shori's jaw all but hit the floor while Shouma simply looked confused.

Yuuri felt a bit like laughing, but restrained himself. It probably wouldn't help the situation.

Then Jennifer and Lady Celi squealed in delighted unison and mobbed the fire Mazoku.

"Wolfie dear, this is wonderful!"

"Oh, I can't believe we're going to have grandchildren! I wonder if it'll be a boy or a girl?"

"Would you prefer a boy or a girl?"

While the two mothers smothered his angel with hugs and questions, Yuuri was watching the others, waiting for the inquiries he was sure were coming.

"How did this happen?" Gwendal asked jerkily, giving voice to the question that was probably on the minds of all the more logically minded members of the family.

If Murata had been present, he would probably have said something blatantly inappropriate and publically embarrassing. But thankfully, he wasn't there and Yuuri wasn't one to provoke unnecessary conflict.

"Shinou."

That one word was the only answer Yuuri needed to give. Gwendal's eyes narrowed with agitation. He gave a curt nod then spun on his heel and stalked out of the dining hall, most probably headed towards the main city temple.

Conrad seemed to finally unfreeze at this and managed to shepherd his smile into something more genuine. "It seems congratulations are in order."

The double black gave a small grin in return, grateful that at least one brother was taking the news well. "Thank you."

Now for the other.

Shori glanced from Conrad to his younger brother and then to Wolfram who was watching them with a look in his eyes that made his insides twist a little. This was really not the time to be obstinate about things. Adjusting his glasses on his nose with a finger, he sighed and smiled a little. It actually wasn't that hard. He hadn't been expecting to get nieces or nephews, and he couldn't help but wonder how they would turn out. "My congratulations to the both of you as well. I suppose we shall all be pretty busy for the next couple months."

Relieved happiness flashed across those expressive emerald green eyes but they darkened again almost immediately as their owner turned them towards the door through which Gwendal had departed.

"Is he… angry?" Wolfram asked in an uncharacteristically small voice. Yuuri cursed Gwendal mentally for his blatant display of unhappiness. The older Mazoku should know how much Wolfram had always cared about his brothers' approval.

"Of course not," Lady Celi hastened to soothe him, pulling her youngest son into a warm embrace once more. "He's just surprised. But he'll get over it."

There was a dangerous glint in her emerald eyes that said her eldest son better get over it fast or there would be hell to pay. There was no way she was going to stand for him upsetting her precious Wolfie with his needlessly overprotective and uptight attitude at a time like this. If Conrad and Shori could be supportive and happy for them then Gwendal had better learn from their example.

Jennifer clapped her hands together, positively beaming with pleasure. "Right then! I guess we have our work cut out for us. This is so exciting!"

Yuuri had never been so grateful for his mother's exuberance. Smiling broadly, he went over to his angel and leaned down to press a gentle kiss to his forehead. The frown on Wolfram's face melted away and he smiled up at him in return, his shoulders squaring in determination. Yes, it _wa_s exciting and Wolfram wasn't going to let anything or anyone get in the way of that.

Hopefully, Shinou would give the earth Mazoku a piece of his mind. This was, after all, his gift.

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><p><strong>TBC… <strong>

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><p><strong>AN<strong>: I can't seem to decide if I should give them twins or just a son. Any preferences?

As for other stories in this AU-verse, I'll consider it if I can think of any good plots. In any case, probably not until this story is done.

.


	14. Everyday Adventures

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Kyo Kara Maoh.

**Pairings**: Yuuri x Wolfram

**Warnings**: Mpreg, shounan ai

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><p><strong>Our Once Upon a Time<strong>

**By V. Shalyr **

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><p><strong>14. Everyday Adventures<strong>

Busy didn't even begin to cover what life felt like in the following weeks. Yuuri thought hectic was really a more suitable word—exciting, chaotic, _stressful_.

Wolfram seemed torn between staying off his feet for the baby's sake and his extreme dislike of being stuck in bed with nothing to occupy him. Sure, he liked being lazy on occasion, but not when it wasn't a choice. He could only read books for so long. And his restless irritation would build until something—usually the book he was reading—accidentally burst into flames, and then he'd feel guilty about the destroyed property even after whichever Maryoku user was with him put out the fire. Books simply didn't take well to spontaneous combustion and then being drenched no matter how briefly. On top of that, the fact that Wolfram was a very powerful fire wielder was backfiring on them since Yuuri was the only one who could deal efficiently with the more extreme bouts of Maryoku instability. After one incident where Wolfram all but obliterated their bedroom and Yuuri had had to sprint all the way from his throne room halfway across the castle to douse the sudden inferno before it could affect the rest of the building, the blonde was relocated to a room next to the Maoh's study. Wolfram would have preferred to just stay in the study itself, but being the Maoh, Yuuri had a lot of very important paperwork that they couldn't exactly risk going up in smoke.

That particular afternoon found Yuuri sitting behind his desk staring unseeing at the report before him. He just knew his angel was frustrated and upset and it was making it hard for him to concentrate. It seemed so unfair somehow that he couldn't get away from his work long enough to spend time with him at a time like this. Sometimes, being the king was just so _troublesome_.

At least Wolfram hadn't thrown up that morning, though Gisela said a little bit of morning sickness was actually a healthy sign.

Yuuri was startled from his thoughts by a rustle of paper and he blinked at the now unoccupied tabletop in his line of sight. He could have sworn he'd been looking at a report on one of their more hostile neighbors just a moment ago. Then someone cleared his throat and the double black looked up to find Gwendal von Voltaire's stoic visage.

"Go to him," the older demon said gruffly, retrieving one of the overly impressive stacks of paperwork and heading for his own office. "I'll take care of the rest of these reports."

Yuuri stared after the man's retreating back in surprise for a long moment then grinned and bolted for the door. He would have to thank Gwendal later. He knew the other Mazoku would come around eventually. However he might appear or act, the man really was very soft-hearted deep down, especially where his baby brother was concerned.

Wolfram tensed and looked up from the window where he was sitting when someone opened the door only to relax when he recognized Yuuri. The scowl on his face immediately turned into a pout.

"I'm bored."

"Then let's go somewhere," Yuuri replied, grabbing the coat Wolfram had left by the door and draping it over his angel's shoulders.

Wolfram paused in surprise. He'd really just felt like complaining. He hadn't actually expected anything to come of it. "But aren't you supposed to be working?"

Much as he wanted to go, he'd always been extremely conscientious of their duties, Yuuri's in particular. It had been impressed upon him ever since he was a child that being the Maoh was a very important and full-time job.

"Your brother said he'd handle the rest for today so we can have the afternoon to ourselves."

"Conrad?" Wolfram asked dubiously. Sure, his Little Big Brother was a great soldier, but paperwork really wasn't his thing either. As far as Wolfram knew, he liked doing paperwork about as much as Wolfram did except that he complained a lot less.

Perhaps reading his mind, Yuuri chuckled. "No. Gwendal."

Wolfram's eyebrows shot up in surprise before a hesitant smile crept onto his face. He supposed that meant that his eldest brother wasn't upset anymore. Getting to his feet without any more protests, the blonde finished putting on his coat and let Yuuri usher him from the room. They stopped by the kitchens to pick up Greta who had been watching a few of the maids throwing together ingredients for a cake. The girl's face lit up in delight when she saw them. Wolfram would have spent more time with her except it hadn't been deemed all that safe. Greta had been disappointed when this had been explained to her but she accepted it without much fuss. She was growing up to be a very bright and understanding girl, and she tried her best not to add to her foster parents' stress. That wasn't to say she wasn't just as excited as almost everyone else over the prospect of younger siblings, and when she could, she and Wolfram would brainstorm names and wonder together what the baby would look like. Likely due to Wolfram's influence, Greta had taken to drawing a great deal in her free time and had produced several sketches after these conversations. Wolfram had framed one of these and put it in their room, and Yuuri was just relieved to see that it really was quite good and he wouldn't have to find some nice and subtle way to persuade Wolfram to move it. Artwork could be such a touchy subject where his angel was concerned and everyone in the family had learned caution.

"Where are we going?" Greta asked, peering up at her two guardians.

"Ah, I'm not sure." Yuuri considered this as the three of them made their way out into the castle courtyard. He hadn't actually thought about it until that point.

Wolfram snorted. "Typical."

"Hey! I was excited," Yuuri defended himself. "Let's see. How about we go look at decorations? We still have to design the new nursery. I told Lady Celi that we wanted to do it."

Greta's nursery had been converted into her bedroom as she'd grown older.

"Works for me," Wolfram agreed. "Anywhere as long as it's not here."

"Yes!" Greta cheered, grabbing each of their hands. "Let's go see! Auntie Jennifer and I saw a store last time we went out to lunch that's the perfect place. It's full of decorations."

Yuuri held back for a moment, eyeing his angel with concern. "Do you want to take a carriage? Gisela did say you should stay off your feet as much as possible."

Wolfram folded his arms rather crossly. "I just got out of one room. I'm not exchanging it for another room on wheels."

Yuuri frowned. Still, he supposed he could understand his angel's reluctance. All the same, "Fine, but you'll tell me if you get tired."

It was more of a demand than a question, and Wolfram nodded if a little reluctantly. Anything except having to go back indoors. And really, he wanted everything to go well just as much as Yuuri did.

The people of the city greeted them warmly as they passed and they returned their greetings with equal fervor. It was definitely good to be outside again, and not just in the castle gardens. Back when Wolfram and Yuuri had just met as children, the blonde hadn't really spent any time with what the aristocrats tended to refer to as "the common people" and consequently hadn't liked them much. Caring about people beyond the immediate circle of his life had been something Wolfram had had to learn, and it hadn't exactly been an easy lesson. Luckily, Yuuri had been the perfect teacher. The fact was that the double black sincerely cared about people. It was just one of the qualities that Wolfram had come to admire, and he often wondered if it was one of the reasons that Yuuri had been chosen as the Maoh. The world was long overdue for a ruler with that much heart and the stubborn determination to go with it.

"It's this place," Greta announced, raising her chin proudly as she halted in front of a giant building, its glass windows revealing shelves of toys, example cribs, and various other furnishings in all kinds of colors and materials.

"Wow, Greta, this really is the perfect place," Yuuri praised her, ruffling the girl's hair affectionately. "Shall we go inside?"

The shopkeeper hurried to meet them as the glass door swung shut behind them, but Yuuri waved her away with a polite reassurance that they'd call on her if they had any questions.

"I was thinking we should start with a color," Yuuri said as the woman nodded and returned to the counter to give them some privacy.

"Green," Wolfram announced immediately, earning him curious looks from both of his companions.

Yuuri raised an eyebrow. He'd been expecting Wolfram to go with blue or even black. His questions were answered when his angel made a beeline for a rack of different fabrics and pulled one free, turning and holding it up for Yuuri to see.

"Yes, green. Because I like this one."

The fabric—probably meant to be a curtain—shone a deep forest green in the sunlight falling through the front windows, patterned with the shadowy silhouette of numerous dragons. The same elegant, winged creatures were embroidered in gold along the hem and Yuuri was reminded of the hatching they had witnessed what felt like such a long time ago.

Running his fingers across the cloth to check its quality, the Maoh grinned. "All right then. Green it is."

.

Gwendal stared down at the report in front of him, the wrinkles in his brow deepening.

"You asked for me?"

Finally tearing his gaze from the paper, the earth Mazoku looked up from his desk at Conrad who had just shut his office door behind him. Picking said paper up, he held it so that his brother could see the title. "Did you know about this?"

Taking the report from him, Conrad skimmed over the contents. "Yozak just informed me of it, yes. Though it's really still just a rumor."

"A troubling rumor nonetheless," Gwendal muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose, "and potentially hazardous if proven true. I assume people have already been assigned to investigate? Good. Increase castle security right away."

"His Majesty and Wolfram?"

"I believe they went to the city. Perhaps I shouldn't have let them go."

"They can take care of themselves," Conrad assured him. "And I can ask Yozak to keep an eye on them. I think some time together will do them both some good."

"I suppose so." Glancing over the report one last time, Gwendal sighed and tucked it away in a drawer of his desk reserved for more important documents.

"Does his Majesty know?"

"I don't believe so. He hasn't seen the report yet. And I'm not sure we should worry him with it. It could prove to be nothing after all …And the both of them have been under so much stress already lately."

Conrad nodded in understanding, hiding a smile. He knew Gwendal would find a way to get over his initial distress at the whole situation. It was definitely a huge point in Yuuri's favor that the last few years of his reign had proved him a more than capable ruler, earning him Gwendal's grudging respect if nothing else. The double black may have seemed too easygoing on first impressions, but they'd quickly learned that he could be aggressive and manipulative when he needed to be. Conrad rather suspected the Maoh had developed that kind of assertiveness through dealing with their baby brother and his tantrums while they were children. It was, after all, largely Yuuri's doing that Wolfram was no longer the somewhat spoiled brat he'd been when they were younger. Those who didn't know the blonde would probably never believe it, but he had mellowed out a great deal over the years. Yuuri's influence calmed him down whereas he brought out Yuuri's emotions and confidence. The double black had always been idealistic and somehow, Wolfram's presence-or perhaps Wolfram's faith in him—made him fight for those ideals all the harder. They really were a perfect match.

Perhaps it was true that people never met by chance.

Besides, Conrad secretly believed that the earth user liked the idea of having a niece or nephew. More people he could knit his arguably cute and most definitely misshapen animals for. He really did spoil children in the weirdest of ways.

.

After that first outing, various members of the court took it upon themselves to create more time for the Maoh and his consort to spend time with one another. So maybe taking breaks wasn't really one of the benefits of being king, but there was definitely something to be said for building a reliable and considerate staff. And one of the positive side effects of being thoughtful when dealing with others was that other people also tended to become more thoughtful when dealing with you in return. Yuuri rather thought it just went to prove his point that he found himself more capable of leaving work early these days.

"Wolfram, what are you doing?"

The blonde didn't answer from where he stood in front of the full length mirror beside the door that led to their walk-in closet. He'd pulled his shirt up and seemed to be examining his stomach with great intensity. Puzzled, Yuuri stepped closer, trying to figure out what his angel was looking at. When it finally hit him, he grinned.

Moving up behind the fire user, he wrapped his arms around Wolfram from behind, smoothing one hand across the exposed stomach, his own sun-tanned skin contrasting with his angel's flawlessly pale complexion. He dipped his head to murmur in the blonde's ear before nibbling on it. "You know it's still a bit early."

Wolfram shivered a little at the warm touch. He leaned into Yuuri's embrace and finally averted his gaze from his reflection, letting his eyelids slide shut in pleasure at the double black's caresses. He had to admit that there wasn't much point in his continued scrutiny anyway. You couldn't really see any visible differences yet. Gisela had come to check on him that morning and had told them that it would be at least another week before Wolfram began to show—twins or no twins—but still, that didn't mean he stopped looking. Could anyone really blame him for being curious?

"I was just making sure," he mumbled, tilting his head obediently to the side so Yuuri could move from his ear down the line of his neck.

"Join me for a bath?" the double black asked, murmuring the words against his skin, rather reluctant to pull away.

Wolfram chuckled at the slightly ticklish sensation. "You just want an excuse to touch me."

"I'm your husband _an_d your king. I don't need an excuse."

"No, I suppose not." Turning around in Yuuri's arms, Wolfram wrapped his arms around his neck and gave him his best imploring look. "Carry me?"

Yuuri raised an eyebrow but complied, scooping the petite blonde into his arms bridal style before heading for the door to their private bath. He knew his angel liked being spoiled and really, Yuuri enjoyed spoiling him now and then, but it was probably better not to tell him that.

In all honesty, they had been bathing together since they were children but the situation had obviously changed a lot since then. It had been quite normal when they were little, a way for their parents to make sure they could entertain themselves and would take their baths without too much fuss. Lady Jennifer had even managed to find shampoo that produced multicolored bubbles on one of her spontaneous shopping trips, just the kind of thing to keep children amused. Then there had been their early Academy years where bathing together had been something they took for granted and everyone else thought was strange. It was time that they got to spend together, nothing particularly special but something they nonetheless enjoyed. Later years at the Academy had seen some marked changes, though mostly, those changes had resulted in them taking their baths separately for awhile. They already slept in the same bed. No reason to tempt Fate, right?

Now… Now that they were married, bathing had become something a lot more sensual—at least when they were in there together. It was a time when they could relax and just enjoy one another's company without their respective duties and other things getting in the way. It was a little ironic really, but it was one of the only times during the day that couldn't be interrupted unless it was for a very major emergency. It was just such an easy place for more intimate moments to begin with the warm water so comfortable and the private pool all to themselves.

It was even easier when his responsibilities and Wolfram's sometimes inopportune attacks of nausea had prevented Yuuri from touching him for the past… Well, more weeks than Yuuri cared to recount.

Wolfram opened his eyes to give Yuuri a half anticipatory, half anxious look as the double black settled himself between his legs with a hungry and rather determined expression on his face.

"Are you sure this is okay?"

Yuuri hummed an affirmative, leaning forward to silence him with a kiss. He'd asked Gisela about it earlier to be sure. He'd finished work early and Wolfram was feeling well, and Yuuri wouldn't be much of a king if he hadn't learned to take full advantage of a situation. Fussing over the future was all well and good, but sometimes, you needed to just take some time out for yourselves in the present.

.

"Yuuri."

The double black mumbled something incoherent in his sleep, tightening his arms around the blonde in his arms. Wolfram frowned and freed one hand so he could shake his king by the shoulder.

"_Yuuri_," he hissed again, this time more insistently.

The Maoh jerked awake with a start, looking around in confusion for what had awoken him before focusing on the emerald eyes peering up at him. "Huh? Is something wrong?"

Satisfied that he had his full attention, Wolfram continued. "I'm hungry, and I want oranges."

Yuuri blinked, his sleep-hazed mind not quite comprehending the words he was hearing. "But you hate oranges."

Wolfram had held a bit of a grudge against the otherwise innocuous fruits ever since he'd gotten the acidic juice in his eyes once when they were little. He was good at holding small grudges like that.

His angel just pouted. "Well, I changed my mind."

The pout usually worked and Yuuri sighed, slipping out of their bed with a stifled yawn. "Okay then. Stay here and keep warm. I'll be back in a minute."

Trudging through the deserted hallways to the kitchen, Yuuri poked around until he found the oranges in a basket beside woven containers overflowing with other fruits and vegetables. He stared at the basket for a moment, unsure how many to bring back upstairs. Finally deciding that too many was better than too few, he picked up the entire basket and returned to the royal suite.

Wolfram hummed happily as the basket was set on a chair Yuuri dragged up beside the bed and began peeling one as Yuuri moved back around to the other side and slid back under the covers. Secure in the knowledge that there was no way Wolfram could possibly run out of oranges anytime soon, he closed his eyes and went back to sleep.

When he woke up the following morning, Wolfram was still asleep, snuggled contentedly against his side. Yuuri stared at the basket now full of nothing but orange peels in shock. Had Wolfram really eaten _al_l of them?

Shaking his head, Yuuri leaned over to brush a quick, chaste kiss across his angel's lips before slipping out of bed and making a beeline for their closet. When he was properly dressed for the day, he retrieved the basket and went in search of a servant to take it back down to the kitchens for him.

He had a meeting to get to in the throne room.

His guest was already waiting for him when he entered the rather grand chamber that housed the royal throne on its raised dais. She stood on the path of crimson carpet with her back to the doors, looking up at the painted images that sprawled across the vaulted ceiling. She had let her hair grow, Yuuri noted absently, her way perhaps of showing that things in her kingdom had finally begun to settle down—finally gotten back on track. The chocolate tresses now fell almost all the way to her waist and it swung freely as she turned towards him, startled out of her thoughts by his rather pointed cough.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm always amazed by the art around this place."

Of course, she knew by now that what she'd grown up hearing about demons was, for the most part, far from the truth. But it still took her breath away to see that they had created such beautiful things. Human or demon, there really wasn't that much difference between the two in the end except for maybe the perspectives they took on life due to their respective heritages. But then the same could be said amongst different humans—amongst all people really.

"Don't mention it." Yuuri waved a hand dismissively and smiled. "You're looking well."

"You too," Rakell replied with a smile of her own. It was a relaxed and easy smile, so different from the grimmer and more defiant look she'd worn when they'd first met. Time couldn't completely heal everything, but a lot of things needed time to mend.

"Humans change so quickly," Yuuri mused, more to himself than to Rakell, but she answered anyway, her own expression rueful.

"And you Mazoku age so slowly. Every time I see you and Wolfram, it's like no time has passed at all."

"I suppose it can seem that way."

Both monarchs fell silent for a moment, waiting for the last member of this meeting to arrive. Five minutes later, she did so with a rustle of fabric and a delighted cry of, "Big sister!"

Rakell crouched down to catch the girl in her arms, returning her hug with equal enthusiasm. "Greta, it's good to see you again. How you've grown! I trust you've been keeping up with your studies?"

Brown eyes widened. Wolfram had impressed upon her early the importance of taking her studies and responsibilities seriously. "Of course I have! Yuuri can tell you."

"And she's been doing great," Yuuri agreed. "We've been impressed, especially with how helpful she's been with everything else going on at the same time."

Noticing the slight confusion on her older sister's face, Greta leaned up to whisper excitedly in her ear, "Wolfram is pregnant."

Rakell opened her mouth then shut it again without saying anything. She wasn't sure how she was supposed to respond to this. Finally, she managed a weak, "Really?"

Greta nodded and beamed. "I've been helping with decorations for the new nursery. Wolfram wanted a green theme and we got all these wonderful decorations with dragon patterns. Uncle Gwendal's knitting a dragon for the baby too, at least I think it's supposed to be a dragon." For a moment, she looked uncertain and glanced around as though to make sure no one was listening, "It looks more like a green chicken, but don't tell him that. We don't want to hurt his feelings."

Rakell stifled a giggle. Yes, she'd seen some of those animals Gwendal knitted as a sort of hobby in his spare time. Still, this was not exactly what she'd been expecting when she'd arrived to pick up her sister for their long anticipated visit back to Rawsha. It would be the first time Greta set foot back in her kingdom since she'd been a baby. They'd all thought it high time with the kingdom finally at peace for its younger princess to see the country that she may one day be in charge of. They had been planning this visit for months. Right now, Shin Makoku may be Greta's home, but Rawsha would be her responsibility.

Rakell caught the Maoh's eye over the top of her sister's head and mouthed silently, "Is she serious?"

The double black seemed amused by the question and nodded.

Rakell considered this answer for a moment then shrugged and grinned. So maybe demons were a little more different than she'd thought. She couldn't wait to see what kind of children her two friends would have. She'd have to come back in a couple months to find out.

.

One of the distinct advantages of being king was that whatever snack Wolfram suddenly decided he wanted, it was more or less a simple matter for Yuuri to producer it. Fruits and vegetables of all kinds arrived at the castle by the cartload and it was easy enough to get something added or taken off the list. Servants or soldiers could be sent into the market for the odd sweet or strangely named delicacy that one or another shop proclaimed as its specialty. And Jennifer was more than happy to cook anything her Wolfie asked for at any time, even if it was her younger son looking extremely apologetic at half past midnight asking her for curry on his beloved's behalf.

So no, food generally wasn't a problem. Unless it was something like _this_.

"French fries. I want French fries."

It took Yuuri a moment to remember what these were. They had only eaten the things once or twice during their short stay on Earth. _On Earth_… Damn, well that certainly made things a touch more complicated. During their stay in the other world, they'd learned that many of the foods in both worlds tasted much the same. But their appearances and names were another matter. Names in particular seemed to exist for the sole purpose of confusing them. For instance, "potato" in Shin Makoku and "potato" on Earth didn't have to—and probably wouldn't—refer to the same root.

"So what exactly are these French fries?" the cook asked, more than a bit baffled by the royal consort's latest demand.

"Well," Yuuri started, not sure how to describe them, "I guess they're basically strips of fried potatoes—er, roots. Uh," he glanced around and picked out a slightly gnarled root from the piles of supplies, "something like this, I think."

Only then the cook cut it open and it was purple inside and Yuuri wasn't so sure anymore. He was sure he'd had chunks of the stuff before in his mother's curry, but he'd honestly never bothered to learn anything about cooking and Jennifer had gone shopping early that morning. Knowing his mother, she'd be impossible to find and wouldn't be back until nightfall. She didn't go shopping all that often these days, but when she did, practically no one could keep up with her—except maybe for Wolfram seeing as how often he'd accompanied her in the past.

In any case, it seemed that the only way they'd know for sure if this was the right counterpart to the same Earth food would be to test it…

And test it, and test it, and test it.

Unfortunately, Yuuri was the only one in the castle aside from Wolfram himself who knew what a French fry was supposed to taste like. By the time the cook finally did come up with a decent batch of fries, Yuuri never wanted to see another "French fry" again. He was seriously going to ban the kitchens from serving roots as part of the meal menu for the next month!

All in all, it really was amazing how much of an adventure just living everyday life could be. But it was definitely the good kind of adventure, the kind everyone could have and enjoy whether or not they were royalty.

Of course, unfortunately, there were also the less pleasant adventures that did come with being "important", at least in the eyes of the world at large. Those adventures, if they could even be called that, were definitely ones that Yuuri could do without.

.

Yuuri lay awake listening to the drumming of the raindrops upon the roof. He wondered if it was the arrival of the storm that had awoken him. It was possible and had happened before. He could sense the power of the raging winds and the lightning that lit the sheets of icy water sleeting down around the castle. It hummed in his blood and made him restless.

Beside him, Wolfram shivered and curled further against Yuuri's chest in his sleep. One of the blonde's slim hands rested protectively over his stomach, the pale fingers laced with his king's bronze ones. Wolfram tired more quickly these days but even in sleep, he never forgot about the precious life—or lives—he now carried. On another day, the image would have made Yuuri smile, but tonight, something in the air just felt wrong.

The storm was angry.

Dark eyes narrowed as the Maoh sat up, careful not to disturb his consort. Yes, that was it. The storm felt _angry_, and the echoes of it put him on edge. Letting out a slow breath, the double black focused on the unease stirring in the back of his mind. He picked through the feeling, trying to track it back to its source. Whatever it was, it had to be close—_too close_.

Yuuri was moving a split second before the window of their bedroom exploded. Shards of broken glass and rainwater sprayed across the plush carpet. Yuuri dragged Wolfram out of their bed covers and all, snatching up the blonde's sword and shoving the entire lot behind him. He didn't bother going for his own sword, summoning his Maryoku instead and throwing it around the both of them like a shield. The knife that cut through the air where they had been didn't reflect the light and Yuuri sensed more than saw it, and the answering fury from inside him was almost overwhelming. Outside, the roar of the storm rose further.

"Wha—Yuuri?" Wolfram yelped, jerked awake by the sudden noise and abrupt movement. Instinctively, his hand closed around the hilt of his sword and he wrapped his free arm around his stomach as he struggled to disentangle himself from the blankets and get to his feet.

Yuuri didn't answer him. Through the fiery blue wall of his magic, he spotted the dark shape crouched on the other side of the room right away.

"_How dare you_," the Maoh hissed, and the cold blue light reflected in his slitted eyes made him look just as demonic as many humans probably thought he was, people who had yet to meet him or hear of the good that he had done.

Emerald eyes widened as Wolfram's weary mind finally registered what exactly had happened and his grip tightened on his sword. Someone had just tried to kill them—kill him? Yuuri? It was hard to say for sure and it really didn't matter one way or the other. The realization brought a wave of fear welling up inside him—not for himself but for his unborn child. He couldn't afford to get pulled into a serious fight. The risks were far, far too high, especially when he was unable to control his own Maryoku. Gisela had warned him not to strain himself and if battle wasn't a strain, he didn't know what was.

As if sensing his panic, Yuuri took a step forward, placing himself more squarely between their assailant and Wolfram.

"_Demons_," the stranger snarled, another blade already in his hand, the eyes that they could see wild with terror and hate. "You'll doom us all with your deceptions if you're allowed to live."

"And who are you to decide who is allowed and not allowed to live?" Yuuri demanded, his voice like ice.

Instead of answering, the man lunged and Yuuri struck.

When the guards burst into the room, no doubt alerted by the ruckus, the would-be assassin lay in a crumpled heap against the far wall, apparently having hit said wall with great force. He was still alive but it would be awhile before he came back to consciousness, and when he did, he was most likely in for one hell of a concussion. Giving instructions for the assassin to be seen to until someone could question him, Yuuri guided Wolfram through the doors into the sitting room and to one of the couches.

"Are you okay?"

Wolfram nodded at his gentle question, wrapping both his arms around his stomach and mustering the energy to glare back in the direction they had come. "What was that about?"

"I intend to find out," Yuuri said grimly. And he had the feeling it was going to be very soon as Conrad, Gwendal, and Shori came bursting into the room. What made Yuuri frown was that none of them looked surprised after getting a look at the man still unconscious on the floor in the other room. Folding his arms across his chest, the Maoh raised his eyebrows, his dark gaze moving from one to another as they assembled back in the sitting room. "Well?"

Conrad coughed. "Sorry about that, your Majesty. We thought we'd gotten them all."

"Gotten them all?" Yuuri repeated. "Them who?"

His older brother exchanged a look with Wolfram's older brothers and Yuuri felt his usually boundless patience rapidly running out. Someone had just tried to kill him and his consort—his _pregnan_t consort. For once, he was really _no_t in a very patient or forgiving mood.

And his mood only got worse when Shori cleared his throat and carefully explained to him that there had been rumors of an organization from certain human kingdoms plotting to get rid of the Maoh and his family. Yozak had managed to gather enough hard evidence and information, and Conrad had led an offensive against said group the week before. And they had thought the entire matter taken care of.

For a long time after Shori had finished his explanation, no one said anything.

And then Yuuri finally demanded, "Why was I not informed of this?"

Everyone in the room shifted uneasily at the tone of the Maoh's voice. Yuuri very rarely got angry. So when he did, it was more than a little unnerving. Even Gwendal looked a bit disturbed. The guards who had come running in earlier quickly and quietly excused themselves, taking the new prisoner with them. Yuuri didn't speak again until the door had shut behind them.

"Never mind, I can guess why you did it. But did you seriously believe that we'd be happier not knowing? Hell, did you honestly think that we would be _safe_r—that you'd be protecting us—if you kept us in the dark? We might have been a bit stressed out with…other things, but even so, that's _ridiculous_. I understand that we're both young, but we're still the ones who are supposed to be running this kingdom."

Yuuri paused, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly in an attempt to calm down.

"My apologies," Gwendal said in the ensuing stillness. "It was my decision to keep it quiet. It won't happen again."

Yuuri nodded curtly. "See that it doesn't."

"So then, our next course of action?" Conrad asked. "I would recommend that your Majesty and Wolfram move elsewhere for the time being. It seems we have some cleaning up to do. The organization appears to have been more resourceful than we thought."

The entire room went silent again. Everyone looked at Yuuri. As the Maoh, whatever happened next would be his decision.

Wolfram shifted anxiously in his seat. Yuuri's head was lowered, the shadow of his bangs obscuring his face and making it hard to read his expression. Finally, the double black straightened, and there was a steely look in his dark eyes that said he wouldn't stand for any arguments.

"We're going to Earth."

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><p><strong>TBC… <strong>

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><p><strong>AN: <strong>Sorry if this chapter felt choppy (it kind of does to me anyway), but I was having the hardest time making all the scraps I had for it flow together. Hopefully, it was enjoyable to read regardless.

I can't resist bringing them back to Earth:) The whole demons on Earth setting just really amuses me.

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	15. The Meaning of Family

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Kyo Kara Maoh.

**Pairings**: Yuuri x Wolfram

**Warnings**: Mpreg, shounan ai

**AN**: Thank you to all reviewers. It seems like the vote is generally in favor of twins. Now, on to the main event.

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><p><strong>Our Once Upon a Time<strong>

**By V. Shalyr **

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><p><strong>15. The Meaning of Family<strong>

"Are you nervous?"

Shori glanced at Conrad who had just come through the archway leading from the main entrance hall to the fountain courtyard. It seemed they were the first to arrive.

"Honestly? Perhaps just a little. But I'm much more curious than anything."

Moving to stand beside him, the other man nodded in agreement. They had all heard their younger brothers' stories of the place, but hearing about it and actually seeing it for themselves were two entirely different matters. Though they would probably have all been more excited if this journey had occurred under different circumstances. As it were, they couldn't forget the actual purpose of this visit.

"So which one of us is taking the first shift?" Shori said, breaking the silence.

"I believe his Majesty said you were. I'm to help Wolfram settle in."

Shori nodded, adjusting his glasses. "That would make sense. So I'll just be coming along so I know what to expect and then Yuuri will send me back here, correct?"

"To help Yozak and Gwendal oversee the plans to flush out and catch the remaining would-be assassins, yes," Conrad agreed. "And we'll switch off in a week Earth time."

"And Gisela?"

"Will be staying on Earth for the most part."

"Right."

The two turned their gazes to the water of the fountain once more and the same thought ran through both their minds. Could this shallow basin of the temple fountain really take them to another world? Of course they knew that magic could do some amazing things, but it still felt odd to consider the possibility. Yuuri and Wolfram had returned with such strange stories of even stranger things. Hearing about them and seeing them for themselves was bound to be two completely different experiences.

Gisela was the next to arrive wearing a slight frown and a satchel bulging with herbal supplies. Yuuri had assured her that Earth had many incredible medical inventions, but she would rather be safe than sorry where her patients were concerned and she'd believe the usefulness of such inventions when she examined them with her own eyes.

"You might want to waterproof that," Shori advised, nodding towards her bag.

The healer nodded politely in return. "I've already made sure of that, but thank you."

The Maoh and his consort arrived together, the former looking a bit tired and the latter looking both tired and grumpy. He'd been too unsettled to get anymore sleep the night before, his body was aching something fearsome as though forcibly reminding him that he shouldn't be taxing it so, and on top of all that, the early morning was cold as anything. The cold ate through his clothes and it wasn't like he could put on anything heavier until they reached the other side lest the extra fabric get in the way of the transportation. Still, he refused to complain. No one else was complaining about the cold or the unholy hour of their departure and he most certainly wasn't going to be the only exception, especially not when all of it was really for his sake.

"So is everyone ready?" Yuuri asked, surveying the little group with a critical eye. He'd instructed everyone to pack light. If anything important got left behind, one of them could always fetch it when they made the necessary trips back.

When everyone nodded, Yuuri gestured them all into the fountain. Wolfram shivered a little as his feet splashed into the shallow water. He was not looking forward to the whirlpool that would take them to Earth. It was only a minor blessing that he didn't have anything in his stomach at the moment to throw up.

Reading his discomfort in the rigid set of his shoulders, Yuuri slipped an arm around his waist—both for support and to make sure he didn't lose him again in the maelstrom of the world portal. He was pretty sure he'd gotten the hang of it by now, but one could never be too careful. Shutting his eyes, he focused his powers on the water around them and brought to mind the image of that lake where Wolfram had first arrived on Earth. Shinou had assured them that someone would be waiting for them when they arrived, and arrangements would have to be made from there.

.

Kivan Eljera, the current Maoh of Earth and one of the very few full blooded Mazoku left in that particular world, woke with a start only an hour or so after he'd fallen asleep. He'd been in Switzerland just the week before seeing to some business, but had come back to Japan on what he could only describe as a hunch—a hunch that he would be needed there for whatever reason. And now lying in bed staring up at the plain ceiling of his bedroom, he finally knew why that was.

Because in that one hour he'd managed to get of sleep, he'd had one very long and very realistic dream. And in that dream, Shinou—also known as the very first demon king—had explained to him that he was about to have several very important visitors. The dead king had gone on to explain the exact circumstances behind their visit—so Kivan wouldn't be too surprised, he'd said. Surprised, huh? Kivan didn't think "surprised" quite cut it. Shocked was more like it, or maybe stupefied. Then again, maybe he shouldn't have been. He'd heard so many unusual stories about Shin Makoku while growing up, about magical creatures and great battles and ancient magic that could accomplish far more than people these days could imagine.

Shaking his head, Kivan swung his legs over the side of his bed and stood up. Let's see, there were so many things that needed to be done if they were to welcome their guests properly. He'd have to fetch a trustworthy doctor for one thing. And the foreigners would need someone to keep them company, show them around, and see to whatever else they might need during their stay. Perhaps Jamie or Aizawa Tori seeing as they'd stayed with his family last time they were here. Bodyguards probably wouldn't be necessary all considered, but perhaps he should ask them to make sure.

Glancing at the digital clock on his nightstand, Kivan noted that it was almost midnight. Well, that was all right. Kimura was a real workaholic and never went to bed before two in the morning.

The Mazoku organization Japan headquarters was almost never completely quiet even at night. There was always someone up and about doing something whether it was a last bit of cleaning up or one last paper to read before the end of the working day. It was one of the things Kivan liked about living here instead of getting his own house or apartment.

Sure enough, the light in his chief Japanese advisor's office was still on. He could see the glow outlining the door in contrast to the dark hallway. Kivan knocked sharply to make sure the man knew he was there before opening the door and clearing his throat.

"Sorry to disturb you so late, Kimura, but I need you to take a van down to the lake. And bring some warm clothes with you—at least five sets. Oh, better make it six just in case anything goes wrong. And soup—bring some hot soup, chicken noodle maybe or whatever they can rustle up fast in the kitchens."

.

Conrad staggered out of the lake, coughing and spitting water out of his mouth. It had been a rather dizzying trip to say the least. Once he was steady on his own feet, he moved to help Gisela with her bags. Shori hadn't been as lucky when it came to staying upright and remained sitting in the shallow water where he'd fallen, wiping water droplets from his glasses and surveying their surroundings.

Yuuri half guided, half carried Wolfram ashore. The blonde looked ill, but thanks to Yuuri he was at least dry.

A low whistle drew their attention to a man who had been leaning against the side of a van a good distance away. He was wearing what Yuuri and Wolfram could have told the others was a business suit and had what looked like some kind of metal drinking container in one hand.

"So this is why his Majesty ordered me down here at this ungodly hour. Welcome back to Earth, your Majesty. And Lord Wolfram as well I see."

"Mister Kimura," Yuuri greeted politely. "I guess that means Shinou got through. I hope you don't mind if we hold off on any further introductions until we get back to your organization headquarters."

"Of course not. It would be discourteous of us to keep you all standing out here in this chill. You'll find some spare clothes for everyone in the back of the van. There's also some hot food, but personally, the nighttime kitchen staff isn't quite as adept as the usual crew. We can, however, send someone downtown to see what places are still open."

"I'm sure whatever you brought will be fine," one of the newcomers he didn't recognize answered with a smile.

Nodding to the strangers, Kimura headed for the driver's seat. This was certainly an interesting interlude in the normal order of things, though it probably wouldn't affect his work much.

The Maoh of Earth was waiting for them when they finally arrived at the building complex that served as the headquarters of the Mazoku organization's Japan branch. He greeted them warmly despite the late—early—hour, though he had to suppress a yawn every now and then as he showed them to the rooms he had had prepared for them.

"I'm sorry if it's not as nice as you're used to," he apologized, opening a door for them and stepping aside. "We got a lot of space but this is one of the only suites. I figured it would be easier on you if all your rooms were closer together. The door there leads to a pretty good sized bathroom, and there's a second bathroom connected to the master bedroom which is right through there. Then there are the three regular rooms. I guess you could call it an apartment except it hasn't got its own kitchen."

"This will be fine, thank you," Yuuri assured him, guiding Wolfram over to the couch. "We don't want to be any trouble."

"Oh no, not at all. I'm happy to be of service. It's the least we could do for all your assistance last time."

Conrad cleared his throat. "I was hoping someone could show me around this complex."

He wanted to check on the security himself, mostly for his peace of mind. Though from what he'd been told of this world, it didn't seem quite as dangerous as their own. Still, he felt that it was better to be cautious.

"I'll get Jamie to give you all a full fledged tour tomorrow," Kivan promised, covering another yawn.

"We're sorry for keeping you up," Yuuri interrupted before anything else could be said. "I'm sure we can take care of ourselves until the morning. We should all be getting some rest in any case."

Wolfram mumbled a wholehearted agreement with this last statement, already half asleep with his head on Yuuri's shoulder.

The Earth Maoh nodded gratefully. "Ah, I'll just excuse myself then. Goodnight, all of you, and welcome to Earth. I hope you enjoy your stay. And if you need anything, please just ask."

.

Jamie peered over the top of his coffee mug at his colleague in surprise. He wasn't sure if he'd heard the man correctly. "They're back?"

Retrieving his own mug from the espresso machine, Kimura shrugged. "They arrived last night, yes. You'll be giving them a tour after breakfast." Taking a sip of the somewhat bitter brew, he seated himself at the lounge table across from Jamie. "So how did your assignment go yesterday?"

"Pretty smoothly. The relocation paperwork went through with no problems and we're pretty sure no one in the new area knows the family."

"That's good. And what's the story they're giving here?"

"I told them they didn't have to make anything extreme. You know, just moving for a new job or something. That's true anyway. But I think she's thinking about faking an illness. She called it a new beginning."

Kimura nodded thoughtfully. "It may be easier for everyone that way."

"I don't think I could live that way, having to break all ties with everyone I knew except the closest family members every couple decades just so people wouldn't notice I wasn't human. Change is all well and good, but I'd imagine you'd get real tired of it all eventually."

"Maybe. Or maybe because they live so long, they have a different view on such things."

Jamie shrugged. The other man was probably right. He usually was about a lot of things. As a businessman, he was nothing if not excellent at reading people. Besides, Jamie himself really only had a little demon blood in him compared to Kimura's half. In some ways, the older man was probably speaking from personal experience. Finishing the rest of his coffee in a few gulps, Jamie stood up and stretched. "Right, so if they're going to be staying for awhile, maybe I should see if they want to go out for breakfast—get to know the area. I assume they're staying in one of the suites?"

After committing Kimura's directions to mind, he proceeded through the corridors towards the guest rooms. He wasn't really sure what to expect. The Maoh and his consort had stayed for a good couple weeks during their last visit, but he hadn't seen much of them after Wolfram had run away from headquarters in the middle of the night. And what a panic attack _tha_t had been. There was their little adventure into the in-between dimension to rescue Kivan, but then the two had left so quickly, leaving behind mostly a jumble of shocking revelations. And he mused if life back in Shin Makoku was always this eventful or if it was just something about Yuuri and Wolfram that made it so.

"Excuse me."

The polite voice interrupted his thoughts and Jamie glanced up to find a brown-haired stranger approaching him from a corridor he was just passing. He'd never seen the man before, but that wasn't necessarily that unusual. People were always coming and going around here.

"Can I help you?"

Coming to a halt before him, the man coughed, looking a bit apologetic. "I'm sorry but I seem to have gotten a bit lost. I only just arrived last night and was hoping to familiarize myself with the premises. But I have to admit I wasn't expecting this place to be quite so…"

He trailed off, not wishing to be rude.

Jamie laughed. "Don't sweat it. It gets a lot of people that way. We like to tell people that the five architects we had working on this place couldn't agree on anything, and they all just sort of went and did their own thing. So it's really no surprise that it's as confusing as it is. Hold on a minute. Did you say you arrived last night? You aren't part of the party from Shin Makoku, are you?"

"I am, actually. My name is Conrad Weller and I'll be staying with my brother while his Majesty finishes making the necessary arrangements here and back home."

"Your brother…" Jamie repeated, trailing off in momentary confusion until it finally hit him and his jaw dropped. "You don't mean—Wolfram? You two are related?"

Conrad nodded, smiling a little. Obviously he and Wolfram looked nothing alike. None of the three brothers did so it was no wonder people were always surprised to discover that they were siblings. "He's my younger brother—different fathers though, of course. My older brother will be remaining in Shin Makoku. Out of the three of us, Wolfram's the only one who takes after our mother."

"You don't say." Shaking his head, Jamie resumed walking towards the Maoh's suite and Conrad fell into step beside him.

"So could you tell me about this Mazoku organization of yours? I heard a little from his Majesty and Wolfram but I would like to know more…"

.

"Yuuri, wake up!"

Yuuri sat up groggily, wondering where the fire was. And then his mind caught up with the rest of him and he blinked at the blond Mazoku who was already up and dressed. Wolfram being up and ready to go before Yuuri was practically unheard of. "What's the hurry?"

"The sun is already up," Wolfram informed him, crossing his arms. "I want to make the most of the time we have."

Yuuri frowned in confusion. "What are you talking about? We've got plenty of time."

Wolfram pouted. "But you're going back to Shin Makoku with Shori tonight."

Oh, that. "And I'll be back the night after that, love. We've been over this."

Wolfram looked away. "But what if something happens when you're not here? Or something happens when you're in Shin Makoku and I'm not there?"

"Stop worrying so much." Getting out of bed, Yuuri stretched and moved to wrap his arms around his consort, pressing a kiss to his forehead before letting go to search for something appropriate to wear for the day. "Everything will work out, you'll see. And Conrad will be here while I'm gone. It's been awhile since you two have spent any real time together. Why not take advantage of the opportunity?"

"That's true…"

Glad that his angel no longer seemed upset, the double black changed into one of the sets of Earth clothes they had bought last time they visited and took Wolfram's hand. "Let's go see if everyone else is up. What would you like for breakfast? I remember you said you ate at a restaurant around here last time. Was it any good?"

"It was… acceptable."

Which Yuuri knew basically meant that the blonde couldn't remember. The double black hid his grin. Wolfram was just too cute sometimes.

In the end, Jamie, Gisela, and the four Mazoku took a car downtown and they ate breakfast at a fast food place where Wolfram introduced the two older brothers to what French fries were supposed to look and taste like. Okay, so Yuuri had done a wonderful job instructing the castle chefs. But there was only so much you could do when you just didn't have the proper ingredients or the right experiences. Granted, Jamie explained to them that he didn't recommend eating at such places too often as they were actually quite unhealthy, but a few times now and then wouldn't hurt.

Then it was off for a tour of the city. Yuuri and Wolfram had fun recounting their past adventures to their companions, and

Wolfram began making a list of all the places he still wanted to visit.

"We will have to go shopping," he informed Conrad, Shori, and Gisela, eyeing their mismatched garments—borrowed from whatever had been immediately available at the Mazoku organization headquarters. "We can do Shori today since he's leaving tonight, then Little Big Brother and Gisela tomorrow."

Conrad just smiled while Shori gave his younger brother a pleading look that Yuuri pretended not to see. Sorry brother, but if Shori going shopping with Wolfram kept the blonde happy then Shori was going shopping. It wasn't like it would kill him and he would need the clothes if he didn't want to stand out here and draw unnecessary attention.

"Why don't you just pick some things out for me?" Gisela said brightly. "I'm meeting with the physicians here tomorrow. It'll probably take all day. I'm sure whatever you choose will be perfect."

"Nice save," Shori muttered then sighed in resignation. It wasn't that he didn't agree that they needed outfits to help them blend in. It was just that he knew from long-term experience how fussy the small blond Mazoku could be about these things. Maybe it came from having Lady Celi as a mother and then spending so much time with Jennifer.

So it was that after lunch, they dropped Conrad and Gisela off at a nearby pharmacy where Kimura would be meeting them to give them an overview of Earth medicine, and the remaining four headed to the mall. Yuuri had been through all this already with Wolfram before so it was his turn to stand by and laugh at the look of dismay on his brother's face as the blonde went through the racks and piled different pants, shirts, and jackets into his arms.

"These are usually really uncomfortable," Wolfram told the older double black, adding five different pairs of jeans on top of everything else. "But practically everyone here has one. They're easy to clean and they go with everything. Just pick whichever one you think you can live with."

By the time they all made it back to headquarters, everyone was exhausted. Wolfram had all but fallen asleep in the backseat beside Yuuri. The Maoh ran his fingers through the soft, golden hair and smiled when his angel snuggled closer to him, relaxing and dozing off. It was a bit of a relief really. He'd been afraid that having to spend the night alone would mean his angel not getting any rest. Hopefully, Wolfram wouldn't be mad at not being woken up to see the two double blacks off.

Shori opened the car door for them without a word and Yuuri thanked him silently before carrying his consort to their room.

Wolfram stirred a little when the Maoh pulled the blankets up over his shoulders. "Yuuri?"

"Shh. We're leaving now, but I'll be back before you know it. So don't cause too much trouble around here, okay? We're guests here after all."

Emerald eyes gazed a little blearily up at him for a moment then slid shut again with a sigh and Wolfram nodded, mumbling, "Be careful and hurry back."

"Always."

.

Aside from frequently having to portal back and forth from world to world, staying on Earth proved to have quite a lot of benefits. For starters, seeing as only the Maoh had access to any Maryoku, it was impossible for Wolfram to accidentally burn anything. This in itself opened up a whole new set of possibilities when it came to keeping himself occupied. Whenever Yuuri was back in Shin Makoku, he and Conrad would visit the different art galleries around the city. He started painting again, slightly to his king's dismay, but at least the materials used on Earth didn't smell quite as awful as the paints he used at home. And to everyone's amusement, they had started taking turns reading to him. Wolfram secretly loved having stories read aloud to him. It was something Conrad used to do when the blonde was little and it had become a time to just sit around and enjoy one another's company—a time for family. It felt like such a long time since they'd really had any of that. That was the problem with being the son of the former Maoh and being wedded to the current one. Work life and home life were always tied so closely together.

Times when all four Mazoku were on Earth long enough to do anything together were especially novel, like that baseball game…

The last time Wolfram had seen this many people in one place, he and Yuuri had been getting married. From his seat between his brother and his king, he looked out upon a sea of faces, people of all kinds crammed onto the pews wearing different colors and waving banners to show their support for one team or the other. It was loud, cramped, and noisy, and he honestly couldn't understand why people paid to attend. Though apparently, he was the only one who thought so.

"This is awesome," Yuuri said, peering down at the field with rapt attention.

Wolfram sniffed, rather unimpressed. "I don't see what's so great about this game. All they're really doing is throwing a ball around."

Yuuri chuckled, wrapping an arm around Wolfram and pulling him halfway onto his lap so he could bury his nose in those soft, sunshine-colored locks. "That's why you never joined any of the Academy sports teams, love. But really, it's not just about playing the game. It's the feeling of competing with a team and the atmosphere of it all."

Wolfram huffed in disbelief, arranging himself more comfortably in Yuuri's arms. "I suppose you would know better than I."

He only ever attended those sports games back during their Academy days because Yuuri was there. And most of the time, he fought a losing battle to stay awake.

"Everyone really seems into it, don't they?" Shori observed, adjusting his glasses. "I read that baseball is one of the most popular games in this country. I can walk you through the rules again if you want. Things are always more interesting when they make sense."

Out of all of them, Shori had adjusted the most quickly and completely to life on Earth, devouring large amounts of reading material whenever he was there. He'd even learned how to operate a computer and the Earth Maoh had had one installed in his room so he could use it at his leisure. About the only piece of everyday technology here he hadn't yet learned was the car, and Wolfram had a feeling that it was only a matter of time.

"Well I don't want," Wolfram retorted, wrinkling his nose. "It didn't make that much sense to me the second or third time you explained it. I don't want to hear about it again."

"With that attitude, of course you're going to find it boring."

"Would any of you like anything to eat?" Conrad cut in smoothly, hoping to diffuse the fight he saw just waiting to happen. His baby brother had never liked crowds and it really wasn't helping his temperament.

"What about some ice cream?" Yuuri suggested quickly, one hand rubbing gentle, soothing circles on Wolfram's back. "Or something to drink? I'm pretty sure I saw someone selling lemonade earlier."

The blonde settled down a little, his attention back on his king. "I suppose something to drink would be nice."

Conrad stood up. "And what about for the rest of you?"

…Okay, so maybe some family outings went better than others. People were still talking about that "strange phenomenon" in the park; they'd gone on a picnic and it had started to rain and Yuuri had thrown caution to the winds and ordered the storm to go elsewhere, afraid that Wolfram would catch a cold. But really, there were always good moments when you made sure to look—like after the game when they'd met the Aizawa family outside the stadium and they'd all had dinner together.

When his weight gain started to become visible, Wolfram switched his usual clothes for these extra large tunics that Yuuri brought back for him on one of his trips back to Shin Makoku. Lady Celi had recommended them and Wolfram found them a lot more comfortable than what he had been wearing before. He would lounge around their room reading or, more often, drawing in a new sketchbook Shori had bought for him on one of his frequent visits to a nearby bookstore. Most of the organization staff had been brought up to date on their situation and didn't give the blonde any funny looks when it became obvious that he was, in fact, expecting. Trips beyond the Mazoku organization headquarters, however, had to be a different matter entirely...

"Wolf, why are you wearing that?"

"One of Gisela's new assistants said I should dress like this because it would be impossible to explain to the people around here that a male is pregnant. This way, we avoid any unnecessary ruckus."

"Oh." Yuuri couldn't take his eyes off his consort and his new cream yellow dress. He supposed it really didn't feel as strange as it could have. After all, his angel already wore gowns to bed all the time. It was just… Hmmm, he wasn't sure he liked the idea of Wolfram parading around in that in public, but he supposed that the woman had a valid point.

Unaware of his king's mental debate, Wolfram turned back around to examine both their reflections in the mirror. Yuuri was dressed casually in a black jacket over a forest green shirt and jeans. The blonde had never really learned to like jeans and was rather glad that he didn't have to wear them. In any case, he thought the colors went very well with the emerald and cream of his own outfit, and it pleased him to note that they did look quite good together.

Turning, he gave Yuuri a bright, happy smile that took the Maoh's breath away. "So where are we going?"

Yuuri scratched the back of his head, taking a moment to recollect his thoughts. "Well, I thought we could go watch a movie at the theatre. Apparently, it's something a lot of people here do for fun."

"What would we watch?" Wolfram knew a little about movies from Akai and Akami who had explained the concept in detail when they'd demonstrated the use of a home television.

The double black shrugged. "Honestly, I'm not sure what we'd like. Though I did see an advertisement in the newspapers this morning on—ah, a fantasy film? Supposedly, there's magic and demons and dragons and all that kind of thing in it. I thought it sounded like it could be interesting."

"Just us?"

"Just us," Yuuri confirmed, holding the door open for him. "It's within walking distance too so we don't need anyone to drive us."

"Gisela said it was okay?"

Yuuri nodded.

Emerald eyes shone. "Then let's go."

He didn't care what movie they watched. He'd even go to another baseball game if it meant time alone with Yuuri that wasn't just going to bed at night. You didn't really get quality alone time with an entire medical team fussing over you surrounded by people who had just barely become "not strangers" and your thoughtful but nonetheless overprotective older brother staying just next door.

As far as "things people on Earth did for fun", Wolfram found the theatre somewhat more acceptable. It was dark and quiet for the most part aside from the movie, which was displayed upon the biggest screen he had ever seen. Not that he had seen many to begin with, but that was hardly important. A few people gave them curious looks and they got a few congratulations, but that was the extent of the attention they received and that suited them just fine.

As for the film itself… the movie director's idea of demons had rather a lot of fur and scales and definitely more fangs and claws than any demon they knew. The two Mazoku weren't sure whether to feel amused or offended.

"That was ridiculous," Wolfram announced as they followed the flow of people back out into the street. It felt a little surreal to emerge from the enclosed darkness of the theatre into the openness of the day outside. Even the gray, evening light felt oddly bright in comparison.

Yuuri laughed. "A little. But it was funny, right?"

The corners of Wolfram's mouth twitched. "I suppose."

Stopping on the sidewalk, Yuuri turned and rested his hands on Wolfram's shoulders, holding him at arms length while he scrutinized him. "So how are you feeling? Kivan recommended a restaurant to us for dinner, but it's a bit of a walk."

"I'm fine. We'll manage."

"You sure you're not just being stubborn?"

Wolfram lifted his chin haughtily, but Yuuri covered his mouth with his hand before he could speak. "Think before you answer please. Remember, we're not just talking about you here."

The blonde made a face and looked away, but gave his earlier inquiry more consideration before saying reluctantly, "Maybe we can ask for a ride?"

Yuuri nodded, placed a quick call on the cell phone he had borrowed for the duration of their stay, and they were on their way again a few minutes later. Wolfram rested his head against Yuuri's shoulder, shutting his eyes for a moment and forcing himself to relax. The cool scent of evening and ocean breezes that tended to surround the Maoh helped ease the motion sickness, kind of ironic seeing as nothing made him more ill than actually being out at sea. There was a certain tranquility about being in a car driving through the city at night that he could get used to.

"Sometimes, I almost wish we could stay here," Yuuri murmured, gazing absently out the tinted window at the passing lights.

"We have responsibilities," Wolfram mumbled back, ever the dutiful one. The lights flashing by could be so mesmerizing.

Yuuri chuckled. "I know. I just said that I wish sometimes."

Wolfram closed his eyes again, a hand wandering reflexively to lie over his stomach. "Maybe in the future after the next Maoh is chosen…"

"Maybe. But I guess we had better focus on the present now, huh?"

The restaurant the Earth Maoh had suggested for them was located on the top floor of one of the tallest skyscrapers in the city. Reservations had already been made and the waitress led them to a table draped in white situated right next to one of the huge, floor to ceiling windows. Wolfram gasped in awe at the sight, all the hundreds of thousands of city lights laid out beyond the glass like a sea of stars. He would never have imagined that these concrete forests that passed for Earth cities could be so beautiful.

"No wonder this place has a great reputation," Yuuri mused, picking up his copy of the menu. "Let's hope the food is as good as the view."

Glancing over the lists of dishes, Wolfram's forehead wrinkled in confusion. "I don't understand any of these."

Yuuri rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Neither do I. I guess they like to have fancy names in fancy restaurants. Ah, excuse me." He gestured at one of the waitresses and held up the menu when she approached. "This is the first time we've been here. Can you give us some recommendations?"

…Spending time with his brother and brother-in-law was good, but Wolfram still liked spending time with Yuuri best. Maybe that was part of loving someone so deeply. Wolfram didn't really care to think about the reasons. All he needed to know was that when they were together, when his king smiled at him that way, touched him, just stayed with him—he had everything that he had ever wanted.

.

"I guess that means we can head back now."

Conrad nodded, glancing one last time over the papers in his hands before stowing them in the waterproof case they had started using to transport any important documents. "Clean up officially concluded yesterday. The Great Sage and Gwendal have confirmed that it's officially safe."

"Or as safe as it ever is to be in charge of a kingdom."

"If you want to think about it that way, I suppose." Securing the case, the brunette glanced over at his bespectacled companion. They had appropriated one of the empty rooms a few doors down from their suite and turned it into a makeshift office for any of the official work they brought over from Shin Makoku. "Are you not excited about returning home?"

Shori didn't answer. He had a slight frown on his face like he was deep in thought. Conrad shrugged and decided not to press him. The double black being troubled wasn't exactly an unusual occurrence, and if it was important, it would come up in time.

"I'm going to go get a cup of coffee. Would you like to accompany me?"

"No, that's okay. I need to talk to Yuuri."

Conrad nodded and stood up. "I'll see you later then. Could you please take this back with you?"

"Sure." Accepting the document case, Shori followed the other man out the door and turned his feet towards their temporary residence. Hopefully, his brother would be back from his lover's medical checkup. It was still a little hard to wrap his mind around the fact that he was going to have a niece or nephew. Funny how it was the youngest sibling in each family that had gotten married first, and to each other no less. Or maybe that made it less strange?

Opening the door quietly, Shori was a little surprised to see Yuuri sitting alone on the living room couch. The younger double black was staring wide-eyed at nothing in an almost comical fashion that made Shori raise his eyebrows.

"What's the matter?" he asked, waving a hand in front of his brother's face. "You look like you're in shock."

Yuuri shook his head as though to clear it and grinned a little ruefully. "I guess I am."

"Where's Wolfram?" The blonde was practically glued to his side whenever Yuuri was on Earth.

"Sleeping."

Dropping down into the armchair opposite him, Shori rested his elbows on his knees. "So?"

"Well," Yuuri started slowly, "you know how the doctors here have these amazing machines that can tell you all these things about a baby before it's been born?"

"Yeah?"

"Wolf's carrying twins."

Shori blinked. "Oh. Boy or girl?"

"We didn't ask." Yuuri chuckled. "I can't seem to quite decide if I should be astonished, relieved, or just happy."

"All three it seems to me." Shori smiled faintly. Personally, he opted for feeling relieved. They all knew how much Wolfram had been hoping for twins. Shori didn't really believe that the fire Mazoku would be all that upset if the results had been different, but you could never be sure with Wolfram. He would never understand how his little brother could understand the blonde so well.

Yuuri nodded then fixed Shori with a serious stare. "So what's on your mind?"

Then again, the younger double black did always have this way with reading people.

Shori absently adjusted his glasses and sighed. "Do you think it would be all right if I didn't go back to Shin Makoku with you?"

Now he definitely had Yuuri's attention. "You mean you want to stay here?"

"Just for awhile longer," Shori said, folding his arms and leaning back in his chair. "I want to learn more about this place. And Kivan…"

"The Earth Maoh?"

He nodded. "He asked me if I'd consider taking over here for him when he retires. I… haven't made up my mind yet and I guess I don't have to for a good couple decades, but I feel like I should really consider it."

Yuuri didn't answer right away. He studied the expression on Shori's face for a moment before nodding. "I say go for it then. Kivan can send you back when you're ready to leave, right?"

"I believe so."

"And if not, I guess you could always pray and hope that Shinou hears you."

Shori snorted. "Right. And if you don't hear from me for twenty years or something, do drop by and make sure nothing's happened."

Yuuri snickered. "Will do."

Rising to his feet, the Maoh stretched and started for the door to his and Wolfram's room. "I'm going to start packing and then see if Wolf's up to going out for dinner. Kivan wanted to throw us a farewell party before we leave tomorrow, but I'm not sure if it's the best idea."

"Wouldn't it be interesting to meet all the Mazoku and part Mazoku living in the city though?"

"I suppose it would. I mean, it's almost like we have this huge, inter-world family, isn't it? But maybe some other time when I've got less on my plate. Besides, I've honestly never liked big parties and Wolf hates being crowded just as much as I do."

"That makes sense. And now you've got a family much closer to home to worry about first."

Yuuri paused with his hand on the doorknob and a slightly idiotic smile spread across his face that reminded Shori strongly of their father. "That's true, isn't it?"

It probably wouldn't be easy. Shori might not have any children of his own but he had done his fair share of babysitting when Yuuri and Wolfram were little. And he could only begin to imagine what kind of children those two would produce. If they were lucky, they wouldn't inherit too much of their mother's temper. Though if they did, at least their father would have had more than enough experience handling it.

"You'll let me know when the babies come?"

"Of course I will."

Shori stayed sitting in the armchair gazing at nothing in particular as the door clicked shut behind his brother. Sometimes, he almost envied how Yuuri and Wolfram could live their lives so fully. They both threw themselves into everything with such passion and energy. And they were lucky too, to have found someone to share that journey with. They had their fair share of troubles and feelings could be hurt at times, but they also had more than the usual dose of happiness and excitement to balance it out. The fact that they made it through those dark moments made those brighter ones all the more brilliant. In a way, Shori had watched them through it all. Maybe it was time that he started figuring out his own path too. He wasn't a soldier like Conrad and he could never quite get into the administrative work the way Gwendal did. The truth was that Yuuri really didn't need him on his staff to do what he needed to do as the Maoh of Shin Makoku. He'd helped their father out with his work and done a couple of different things since graduating from the academy himself, but nothing had ever quite clicked. Maybe it was time that he tried something new.

Shaking his head, Shori got to his feet and headed for the door again. If he was going to be extending his stay, he had better make the necessary arrangements.

.

Outside, a storm was raging, rain lashing at the castle windows accompanied by occasional flashes of lightning and the rumble of thunder like the growl of an enormous, discontented beast. It was a perfect reflection of Yuuri's current mood as he paced restlessly in front of the closed doors of the royal bedroom, having been kicked out by Gisela moments earlier. If he'd had the presence of mind to stop and think about it, he would have realized that this was because the storm was mostly his fault, but as it were he was too anxious to notice and so the rain continued to pound upon the rooftops. Another cry of pain from the other side of the door made him tense and thunder crashed outside in response.

"I'm sure everything will be all right," Lady Celi said, trying to calm him. "You just have to be patient."

Yuuri paused, turning to her, but he changed his mind before he could say anything and started pacing again. The anxiety he felt at that moment simply couldn't be put into words. Just about everyone was waiting in the sitting room with him from his own parents to his consort's mother and brothers, and he definitely wasn't the only one who looked anxious.

Another cry reached their ears and Yuuri snapped. Honestly, he saw absolutely no reason why he had to stay outside. This was _hi_s consort having _thei_r baby. The least he could do was be there for him.

The healers tried to intercept him when he slipped through the bedroom doors but he brushed them aside, waving them back to their tasks with a glare. Then he was across the room and reaching down to take Wolfram's hand, prying the blonde's fingers loose from where they were clenched in the bed sheets. Emerald eyes looked gratefully up at him from beneath sweat-soaked bangs.

From that point on, the time seemed to fly and crawl by both at once. But the storm did begin to dissipate and, by the time the two sleeping bundles were passed into their parents' arms, the skies outside were once again clear and blue. Despite his exhaustion, Wolfram positively glowed as he looked down at the baby cradled against his chest. Jet black hair complimented the pale and peacefully sleeping face, and Wolfram wondered what color his eyes would be when he opened them. Personally, he hoped they would be black too.

Carefully, Yuuri sat down on the edge of the bed, smiling softly. The bundle in his arms was identical to the one in Wolfram's except that the blanket was blue embroidered in gold instead of black embroidered with silver.

"They're beautiful," Yuuri said quietly, leaning down to press a chaste kiss to his angel's lips. "Have you decided on their names?"

They had narrowed it down to round about six to eight different names, but Wolfram kept changing his mind at the last second. It was kind of endearing and kind of frustrating at the same time like so many things about the fire user and Yuuri had finally decided to just leave the final decision up to his consort. It wasn't like he was going to love their children any less whatever names they ended up with.

Wolfram gazed up into his king's dark eyes that gleamed with pride and joy and love, and he smiled that same smile that Yuuri had first seen in the gardens of the Shibuya family estate on a rainy night more than fifty years ago. "Mikale and Cory."

* * *

><p><strong>TBC… <strong>

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><p><strong>AN<strong>: Okay, so I actually only have one more chapter planned for this story. But I wouldn't be averse to adding one more mini adventure before then if anyone has any ideas on what that could be. Or I might consider a sequel, maybe. Not sure yet.

In any case, thanks for reading and I hope you have a great weekend. ^_^

.


	16. Our Ever After

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Kyo Kara Maoh.

**Pairings**: Yuuri x Wolfram

**Warnings**: Mentions of mpreg, shounan ai

* * *

><p><strong>Our Once Upon a Time<strong>

**By V. Shalyr **

* * *

><p><strong>16. Our Ever After<strong>

Wolfram opened his eyes drowsily at the feel of a familiar hand sneaking up the inside of his leg. He grumbled something incoherent into his pillow, which earned him a low chuckle from the person behind him as a mouth moved to latch onto the base of his throat. The blonde moaned and turned so he was lying fully on his back and blinked rapidly, trying to clear away the blurriness of sleep.

"Wha—what time is it?"

"Hmmm, a bit past ten," Yuuri replied, settling himself comfortably on top of him.

_A bit past_… Wolfram's eyes shot wide open and he tried to sit up. "Yuuri! We're going to be late!"

Yuuri growled in irritation, rearranging his weight to prevent the blonde from getting away. "No we're not. I've already informed Gwendal that we aren't going to be at that meeting. I've had enough of meetings for the week. We are going on vacation. I see no reason why we can't start a few hours early."

They had gotten back late the night before exhausted from an ambassadorial trip to one of the human countries and had fallen into their bed practically already asleep. The two weeks before had consisted of practically nothing but meetings, negotiations and peace talks. There was that party after the signing of the treaty, but neither of them had enjoyed it as these political festivities tended to mean being polite to everyone and talking and dancing with people they may otherwise have preferred not to associate with. Wolfram had been intensely unhappy about all the court women who seemed intent on crowding his king and husband, trying to get the Maoh's favor, and he could more than understand Yuuri's desire for some time to themselves after all that. Still…

"But, Yuuri, you have a lot of paperwork to catch up on before we can go pick up the kids."

Yuuri muttered something that sounded suspiciously like a curse on all paperwork. The double black was more interested in pinning his angel to the bed and seeing what kinds of cute sounds he could get him to make. The paperwork had been waiting for more than a week while they were busy with foreign affairs. It could wait a little bit longer.

Wolfram gave up. Yuuri knew exactly where and how to touch him to make him give in and forget about everything else. Not that Wolfram was complaining really. He loved being with Yuuri and having his undivided attention. He felt it was his duty to remind Yuuri of his, but it was still up to Yuuri whether he did these things or not. He was the Maoh after all, and there had to be some advantages to that. And Wolfram could go along with his decisions content in the knowledge that he had tried—maybe not very hard, but tried nonetheless.

Wolfram's eyelids fluttered shut and he tangled his fingers in his king's dark hair, drawing him closer as Yuuri's lips returned to his own. Warm hands caressed his sides, coming to rest on his slim hips, and it occurred to Wolfram that, much though he missed them, it was probably a good thing that the twins weren't currently at Blood Pledge Castle. The two young Mazoku did have a nasty habit of interrupting their parents at the most inconvenient of moments.

.

"Uncle Conrad!"

Conrad paused in his conversation with Yozak and turned towards the two figures racing across the Academy gardens towards him. He had taken up a part time teaching position at the Academy a few years ago, which he found himself enjoying greatly. And it was especially rewarding to watch his nephews growing up.

The twins raced up to him—or rather one of them raced and the other followed at a more sedate pace.

"Look at what we found!" Cory exclaimed the moment he'd skidded to a halt in front of him. Conrad knew it was Cory because Mikale never exclaimed over anything. It wasn't that he didn't get just as excited. He just had a much quieter way of expressing it.

Looking at the thing being brandished under his nose, Conrad smiled at the ball of fluff with its large, dark eyes staring quizzically back up at him and maybe a tad bit frightened.

"It's a baby bird," Cory exclaimed excitedly, and quite unnecessarily. "We think it's a starwinger."

"A blue starwinger," Conrad agreed. "It's very rare. Where did you find it?"

"It was in the grass by the orchards," Mikale told him, coming to a stop beside his brother.

"It probably fell out of its nest," Conrad mused aloud. He fixed the two boys with a stern look. "You should put it back as soon as you can."

Cory pouted. "Can't we keep it?"

"It's only a baby. Don't you think it'll be scared if you take it away from its home?"

"But we'll take really good care of it!"

"Its mother will be frantic if you take it away," Conrad scolded him. "How do you think your parents would feel if someone just came and took you away?"

The twins looked at one another, imagining their parents' reactions and shuddering in unison. It would be a close contest as to whether the Maoh or his consort would be more furious, though at least Yuuri would ask questions first… Well, _probably_… as long as neither of them was hurt. Wolfram would probably just burn them to a crisp, forget the questions.

"We'll take the chick back now," Mikale said, placing a placating hand on his brother's shoulder. Giving Conrad and Yozak a polite nod, he proceeded to lead Cory away back the way they had come.

Yozak whistled and shook his head when the twins finally disappeared from view. "I wonder how the little tike got to be so calm. He certainly didn't inherit it from either of his parents."

Conrad shook his head. "Don't let Mikale fool you. They can be perfect little devils sometimes when their parents aren't around, though they tend to be on their best behavior when they are. Wolfram doesn't let them get away with anything. His Majesty is a little more lenient, but he's still pretty strict about the rights and wrongs of things."

Yozak chuckled. "Parenthood suits them, doesn't it?"

"Surprisingly well."

Or perhaps not so surprisingly when you took into account the fact that both Yuuri and Wolfram were such passionate individuals. They weren't perfect by any means, but they had the most important thing. They _cared_.

"So when are they coming to pick them up?" Yozak asked, taking another sip from his glass.

"Wolfram is heading over to the Shibuya mansion first. His Majesty should be here to retrieve the twins shortly, and then all four of them will be having a late lunch with his Majesty's parents before heading to the temple."

"So how long with they be gone?"

"Two weeks, I believe, unless an emergency comes up. But I doubt anything will happen that we can't handle without them. Things have been very peaceful."

"They have, haven't they?"

And both of them fully intended to treasure that peace and ensure that it lasted for as long as they could. Perhaps it was because both of them had fought as soldiers on the front lines of battle in those long years of war that seemed so much like just a nightmare in the glow of this golden era. Perhaps they'd just both gotten to that age in life when you realized that there were so many more important things in life that one should hold dear, like life and living itself. Whatever the reason, they would be the first to admit how much the current tranquility meant to them.

"So," Yozak said, finally interrupting the comfortable silence that had settled between them, "this means you don't have to be available for babysitting, right? I don't suppose you'd consider taking me out for dinner?"

.

A faint smile made its way onto Yuuri's face as the elaborately carved buildings of the Academy came into view. The sight of the place always brought back pleasant memories of his own school days. There had been plenty of frustrations too, of course, but he'd always been an optimistic sort of person and he preferred to focus on the good points rather than the bad.

Memories. Talk about something you racked up a lot of, living for as long as they did as members of the Mazoku tribe.

Pulling his horse to a halt in the courtyard, Yuuri had barely swung himself down to the ground when he was greeted by two excited shouts.

"Father!"

"Daddy!"

"Hey," he greeted the two boys with a wide grin, crouching to catch them in a bear hug. "I'm glad to see you two looking so well. How have your classes been going?"

"Mikale still beats me at sword fighting more than half the time," Cory complained, pouting.

"That's better than all the time though, right?" Yuuri asked, amused. "Did you try asking Conrad for extra lessons?"

The younger twin pulled a face. "Are you kidding me? Volunteer for more schoolwork?"

"And you wonder why I'm still better than you," Mikale observed dryly. Turning back to his father, he added, "I believe the headmaster gave Uncle Conrad our school reports to pass on to you."

"I guess I'd better go see him then. Do you know where he is?"

The twins led him to the garden where Conrad and Yozak were still engaged in conversation. The two men stood up the moment they saw their king, but Yuuri waved them back to their seats.

"No need for those formalities now. Seriously, I'd have thought you two should know that by now." Coming to a stop in front of Conrad, Yuuri gestured behind him towards the boys. "They said you had their school reports?"

"Ah, yes." Reaching into the bag he had set on the ground at his feet, Conrad retrieved two folders and handed them to him. "I don't believe the headmaster trusted them to hand these over as is, though I don't see why. They've both been doing quite well this semester."

Last semester had been another story, but Conrad felt no need to bring up that fiasco again. His baby brother had been upset for quite awhile over the matter, an unusual occurrence where the boys were concerned and memorable because of it. Despite being a rather selfish person in a lot of ways, Wolfram was incredibly unselfish when it came to the people he loved and in his ability to be proud on the behalf of his husband and his children. And he was often, in fact, immensely proud of all three. Conrad rather suspected that that was why he also got so upset when any of them did things that crossed the line of what he considered right and proper.

Cheating on an exam definitely crossed that line, and it had crossed it quite severely in both parents' books.

And even though it had been more of a prank than anything on the part of the twins, they had gotten a right scolding from both Yuuri and Wolfram. It was hard to say which was worse. Everyone knew Wolfram had a royal temper, and he could yell with the best of them. But his temper could die as easily as it flared up, and deep down, Wolfram forgave the people he cared about even more easily than Yuuri did. Yuuri, on the other hand, had this way of looking coldly at a person without saying a word that could really make a person squirm in earnest. It worked great for the king when he needed to deal with uncooperative politicians, and quite frankly, a little frightening if you were on the receiving end for any length of time.

Flipping through the folder, Yuuri glanced over the contents before turning to his sons with a raised eyebrow.

"You two got the same scores in both history and strategy," Yuuri noted, slightly surprised. Usually, Cory got the high marks in the former and Mikale in the latter.

"We took our own tests," Cory assured him with a slight huff. "The teachers scheduled Maryoku exams at the same time and you know we can't take that for each other."

"Ah." The double black hid a smile. So the teachers had wised up in that respect over the past few years. After all, with Mikale being a water user like Yuuri but Cory being a wind user, they couldn't exactly pretend to be one another when asked to demonstrate their Maryoku. Aside from their personalities, it was one of the only really different things about the twins.

"You really shouldn't even be thinking about it, you know," Yuuri scolded them. "It's cheating, and it doesn't help you get a good education. Besides, you know how angry your mother was last time it happened. And he can be pretty scary when he's angry."

"But you make Mommy angry all the time."

"I do not!" Yuuri protested. "Er, not _seriously_. And, well, your Mommy's kind of cute when he's angry."

The twins exchanged looks. Their Daddy apparently didn't have very good survival instincts. Though seeing as he was the king and currently the most powerful Maryoku wielder in the kingdom, maybe that gave him some leeway to be a bit more idiotic now and then. And they had a feeling watching their parents that deep down, their Mommy found the trait somewhat endearing.

Parents could be so confusing sometimes.

"And anyway," Yuuri continued hastily, "you know he only gets angry because he cares."

"Yes, Father," the two chorused, though they were still a tad too young to fully comprehend what he meant. Understanding would come with time.

Behind the king's back, Yozak was struggling to hold back his laughter and Conrad had lifted a hand to hide his smile. Sometimes, the life of the royal family seemed so much like a dramatic comedy that it was hard not to be amused. At other times, it felt like the kind of sweet romance that left onlookers feeling oddly wistful.

"Thank you for keeping these, Conrad," Yuuri said, turning back to the two older men. "We'll be on our way then. If anything really important comes up, you two know where to find us."

Conrad nodded. "Of course, your Majesty. I hope the four of you enjoy your vacation."

"I certainly plan to."

After the king had departed with the twins in tow, Yozak turned to Conrad with a bemused frown. "So what was the occasion again?"

His captain shrugged, pouring himself another cup of tea. "It's the New Year on Earth. I understand there are many celebrations going on around this time. I expect his Majesty wishes for his family to experience them."

Not to mention it was a great excuse for getting away for a few days just to relax and have fun. Royal families always did seem to have such a hard time getting a proper, quality vacation.

.

Jennifer exclaimed in delight when she opened the door to find Wolfram on her doorstep. "Oh, Wolfie dear, it's been so long! How have you been?"

Returning her warm embrace, Wolfram smiled. "It's good to see you too, Mama. And we've been well. A bit busy, but I guess that's to be expected."

"I suppose it is," she sighed, giving him another squeeze before standing back so she could look him over from head to toe. "You really haven't changed at all. So, when will Yuuri and the boys get here?"

"Hopefully, soon. We're supposed to leave in just a few hours."

"But you _will_ stay for lunch, won't you?" Jennifer asked, though the determined gleam in her eyes said it was more of a demand than a request. "It's been so quiet around here, especially with Shori traveling to Earth all the time."

"Of course we will," Wolfram assured her, following her through the entrance hall and towards the kitchen. "Do you need any help with that?"

The two chatted happily about their respective families until the doorbell rang again and Jennifer went to answer it, leaving Wolfram to keep an eye on the stew and prepare the vegetables for the curry. Wolfram smiled to himself when he heard the excited voices of the twins telling their grandmother about their day. Moments later, familiar arms slid around his waist from behind and Yuuri leaned forward to press a kiss to his temple.

"I assume this means we're eating lunch here."

"Your mother insisted."

"I expected as much." Resting his chin in his consort's golden hair, Yuuri glanced over the ingredients spread across the counter. "I'm surprised you still remember what Mom does with all this stuff."

"It's only surprising to you because you never knew," Wolfram sniffed. "And I'll have you know that I have excellent memory."

"Of course you do," the double black agreed, "and often for the strangest little details."

Wolfram snorted but didn't protest. He could admit privately that perhaps this was sort of true. The two of them fell into a comfortable silence, punctuated by the distant laughter of Jennifer and their sons. It was a wonderful sort of feeling, Wolfram decided, leaning a little bit more into the warm embrace of his king. He loved having his own family. It was amazing how much these three people could mean to him.

"Hey, Wolf," Yuuri said softly, his breath tickling the blonde's ear, "what would you think about moving to Earth for a few years when we retire?"

"Isn't it a bit early to be thinking about that? The next Maoh hasn't even been named yet."

"It's just a thought. So would you be okay with that?"

"If it's what you want to do, then it's okay with me." And they both knew he meant every word. As long as he was with Yuuri, he was happy. It had been that way since they were children.

Yuuri smiled faintly, tightening his hold on the petite blond Mazoku in his arms. He really was lucky to have met someone who could and did love him so completely.

"Thanks. I guess we'll see."

Lunch lasted well past noon with Mikale and Cory recounting some of their academy exploits and the adults trading details about their work. When most of the food had disappeared, they retrieved their bags and all headed towards the nearby temple. Yuuri didn't really need to go all the way to a temple to call up a portal, but the pool in the temple had steps leading down into it, and they decided that it would be more convenient—especially with it being the first time their children would cross the world boundaries. Walking down into the water was simpler and less intimidating than leaping into a river.

Cory peered into the pool as the water began to churn. "Are we really going to another world?"

"Sure are," Yuuri told him, ruffling his hair. And the two boys should be grateful that he'd perfected the art of making cross-world portals before they'd been born. Wolfram certainly hadn't enjoyed the experience much.

The fire Mazoku grimaced a little, glowering at the whirlpool. He never did like traveling this way. It was almost as bad as being on a boat. "Let's get this over with."

"Make sure you tell Shori to come visit us more often," Jennifer said, giving them each a hug before moving back. "Just because he's going to be Earth's next Maoh doesn't mean he's exempt from visiting his parents now and then. I expect to hear all about what he's been up to."

"We'll be sure to tell him to keep track of it all," Yuuri said, grinning. "And I'll personally send him back here if he forgets to visit."

Taking Wolfram's hand, Yuuri gestured for their sons to step into the water ahead of him. "Relax and let the water move you. If you struggle too much, it makes it harder to guarantee we'll all end up in the right place."

"You mean we can end up in the wrong place?" Mikale asked, his brow furrowing in slight concern.

"Not if you listen to your father," Wolfram replied.

Once all four of them were standing around the whirlpool, Yuuri cleared his throat. "Ready? Good. Let's go."

And they all stepped forward as Yuuri poured more power into the portal, and the whirlpool roared up around them.

.

Aizawa Akai glanced at his watch once more, frowning. He'd been told that they would be arriving at this lake in just a minute or two. How they could be so sure, he had no idea, but then that was magic for you. Even after all these years, he had trouble really, honestly believing in it.

But whether he believed in it or not, it seemed that the magic had been right this time. As the digital numbers of his watched changed to eleven o' clock A.M., the water of the lake began to stir. Within seconds, a vast whirlpool had formed, making Akai take several wary steps back. Then four people were stumbling out of the lake, two of them looking like they'd walked straight out of his childhood memories.

Akai found himself smiling despite himself as he hurried to meet them, bringing several towels with him. "Hey, long time no see. You two practically haven't changed at all."

"Akai?" Wolfram asked, shocked. "Is that really you?"

The man laughed. "Sure is. Akami wanted to come too, but it's a little inconvenient for her right now. She got married a year ago, you know. They're expecting their first child in just a few more months."

"We're really sorry we couldn't make it to her wedding," Yuuri said apologetically, but Akai waved it off.

"That's okay. We know how busy you guys usually are. After all, running a country's not exactly a walk in the park, right?" Crouching down, he grinned at the twin boys. "Hi there, my name's Akai. I don't believe we've met before."

While Wolfram looked over the introductions, Yuuri went over to the bag that Akai had brought and located the cell phone that he had used last time he'd been on Earth. A short search revealed a series of text messages from his brother. It seemed Shori had originally planned on being here, but been delayed by work. Well, there was hardly anything anyone could do about that. Yuuri knew better than anyone how the responsibilities of being a Maoh could interfere with one's personal life. Sending a message back to let Shori know that they'd arrived safely and would head over to visit Akami first, Yuuri slipped the phone into his pocket and turned back to the others.

"So then, shall we be going?"

Akai had arrived at the lake in one of the Mazoku organization's vans, an organization he was now employed at. His father and mother, he explained, had had to be relocated a few years back, and getting a job at the organization had been one of Akai's ways of making sure he could keep in touch with them. There were other reasons too, of course. He enjoyed his work, and it fascinated him to have the opportunity to learn more about his father's heritage. But mostly, it wasn't all that different from working for any other large company.

"We'll be picking Akami and Daichi up at the hospital, if that's all right," Akai told them, steering the car onto the road leading back towards the city.

"That's fine," Yuuri said, leaning back in his chair and moving to drape his arm around Wolfram's shoulders. His angel leaned his head against his shoulder, closing his eyes gratefully as the car picked up speed. He'd never grow to like these metal monstrosities, no matter how fast and convenient they were.

In the middle row of seats, their sons gazed through the windows with emerald eyes full of wonder at the scenery flashing past, pointing things out excitedly to one another as the first buildings came into view. They'd seen pictures of Earth cities in their parents' photo albums and the books Uncle Shori occasionally brought back, but that only added to their enthusiasm at finally getting to see the real things. Luckily for them, they didn't get motion sick as easily as their mother, and so they could enjoy the experience unhindered.

Akami was thrilled when they pulled up before the hospital. She'd grown up into a beautiful young woman, and she fairly glowed as she hugged the two Mazoku and introduced them to her curious husband. Apparently, she'd told him quite a lot about them. She'd been even more ecstatic to meet the twins.

"Akai and I are twins too, you know," she told them conspiratorially.

"You are?"

"Yup, just not identical ones like you two. We're fraternal twins. That's why we don't look that much alike."

On the way back towards her house, Akami insisted on sitting in the middle row with the twins while her husband sat with Yuuri and Wolfram in the back. Both boys were fascinated by the fact that Akami was going to be having a baby, and kept pestering her with questions. Mazoku pregnancies were rare, and they knew little about these sorts of things, not having yet hit that age in school where these matters were taught.

Akami just laughed. "I still have a couple months to go. I'm really hoping that she'll be born around the time of the cherry blossom festival. It's always so beautiful around that time, and the weather is so much better—not nearly this cold."

"What was the weather like when we were born?" Cory asked curiously, turning to peer over the back of his chair at his mother for answers.

Wolfram sniffed. "It was storming because your father was being a wimp."

"Hey," Yuuri protested, "I was worried about you!"

Emerald green eyes softened and looked away. "I know, but you really needn't have been."

"Can you really make it rain?" Daichi asked, impressed. Being one hundred percent human, he'd only just started to learn about Maryoku after meeting the woman who was now his wife. And even with all her stories, he'd yet to actually see any magic.

"Daddy can do much more than that," Cory interrupted before Yuuri could reply. "He's _amazing_. You should see his water dragons."

The king just smiled to himself. It was nice to be admired by your kids.

"There hasn't been that much fighting though, has there? Back in your world?" Akami asked, her expression taking a turn towards worry at the mention of water dragons.

"No, it's actually been fairly peaceful for the last couple years."

"Because of a lot of people's hard work," Wolfram added, a little disgruntled by the memories of all those ambassadorial visits and political meetings. "Yuuri's managed to get most of our neighbors to agree to signing peace treaties, and to start trying to work together towards reform. There are some countries that still oppose the idea of an alliance between Mazoku and human lands, but mostly, they don't dare to actually initiate any violence. Not anymore, anyway. There was this one battle a couple decades ago, but it was an overwhelming victory for our side." He smiled a rather satisfied smile at the memory. "And Yuuri scared them pretty good."

"That's good then," Akami concluded, wrapping one arm around her belly and smiling. "So let's talk about happier things. I'm sure you'll all love the New Year's celebrations..."

.

Shori joined them for dinner at a Chinese restaurant not far from the Japanese Mazoku organization headquarters where they would be staying once again. Clad in a black suit and tie, no one would even guess that he had been born and raised in another world. He greeted them with a tired but welcome smile, and they chose seats around the single round table in the private room that had been reserved for them.

"I'm glad to see you four doing well," he observed, nodding to his younger brother and his family. "Enjoying your vacation so far?"

Yuuri grinned in return. "Immensely. It's nice just to have a break once in awhile. I'm sure you're starting to understand."

"Definitely," Shori sighed, removing his glasses for a moment to massage the bridge of his nose. And he hadn't even taken over all of the Earth Maoh's responsibilities yet. Most of it was still currently being overseen by Kivan, who had left on business to America only the week before. "Listen, I've been having some problems with the local politicians. I was hoping you could give me your opinion on the matter."

"I'm all ears. Tell me about it."

Sometimes, it was a little disturbing that his younger brother had more experience with and knew more about running a country than he did, but Shori was getting used to that. And as a smart man himself, put aside any unhelpful feelings of embarrassment to ask Yuuri for advice when he needed it. Because, whatever else he was, Yuuri was undeniably a great king and one of the most respected Maohs since the original one.

While the two double blacks discussed business, Wolfram introduced his sons to the selection of dishes arrayed across the table. He drew some comparisons to food from their homeland, and then demonstrated the proper use of chopsticks.

Partway through the meal, the twins grew bored of listening to the adults and wandered away from the table. They ended up beside a fountain in the middle of the restaurant, designed like a miniature, rocky mountain riddled with tiny waterfalls, caves, and cliffs.

"Look!" Mikale exclaimed in surprise, drawing his younger brother's attention to the pool of water about the mountain's base. "They have fish."

Crouching down, Cory peered at the tiny, golden shapes beneath the rippling surface. "Why would you put fish in a water fountain, do you think?"

Mikale shrugged. "I suppose because there's no reason not to."

"That's not a very good reason."

"No, it's not, is it?"

This last comment had been made by one of the waitresses who had stopped when she'd overheard them. Coming to stand beside the fountain, she smiled at them.

"Fish are considered very lucky creatures in my country. They represent bountifulness. That's why you can find them in so many restaurants."

"Oh." The twins exchanged looks of understanding. Things people kept or did because they were good omens or brought good luck. That they could understand. The people at the temples were always talking about them.

Suddenly, Cory chortled. "I don't think Mommy would think much of fish being lucky."

"No," his brother agreed, lips tugging upward in a grin of his own. "He hates fish."

Turning back to the waitress, Mikale added politely, "Thank you for taking the time to speak with us, miss."

The woman's smile widened, and her eyes sparkled with amusement. "You're very welcome. You two boys are so adorable. Your mother must be a very beautiful lady."

This earned her a puzzled look.

"Mommy is a lord," Mikale informed her seriously, "and he is. Daddy always says so and so does everybody else."

The woman blinked. "You know, 'lord' is for men, dear. Women are called 'ladies'."

The child looked at her like he thought she'd gone a bit crazy. "I know that. Mommy is a man."

"…Oh, well, men can't be mothers because they can't have babies, dear."

"Daddy says Mommy's special."

"..."

Fortunately for the by-now very confused waitress, the twins spotted their mother frowning at them from across the restaurant at that moment and hurriedly excused themselves. As they returned to their chairs, Wolfram gave them a reprimanding look.

"You better not have been bothering that woman. And don't go off like that again without telling one of us. We were worried. This world might be more peaceful than ours, but that doesn't make it safe."

"Yes, mother," both boys said in unison. Wolfram couldn't help but smile at that, which the boys knew he would.

"Good. Now, finish your vegetables or you won't get any dessert."

After dinner, they made a stop at Daichi and Akami's house to drop the pair off before finally making their way back to the organization headquarters. Shori had had a suite prepared for them on one of the uppermost floors, and their luggage was speedily brought up for them. The rooms were spacious but simply decorated, which both the Maoh and his consort preferred. The suite's one concession to extravagance was an entire panel of floor to ceiling windows forming one side of the sitting room, which offered a magnificent, panoramic view of the city. The entire family loved it.

"The view from the roof's even better though," Akai told them, to Akami and Shori's agreement.

"Then let's go see!" Cory exclaimed, wasting no time in hurtling back out the door into the corridor beyond. Mikale waited a little longer, making sure their parents were following before dashing after his brother.

"They sure are full of energy," Akai observed, stifling a yawn. It had been quite a long day.

"You've done your part," Shori told him. "Perhaps you should go home."

But the younger man shook his head. "I'm fine. Besides, I've got the day off tomorrow, so I can sleep in."

"The city hasn't changed all that much from up here," Wolfram observed, stepping through the open doorway onto the roof after the younger members of their party. He'd been up there a few times with Conrad back while he'd still been carrying the twins and they'd taken shelter here on Earth. Out of all his relatives, his Little Big Brother was the only one who seemed to share his appreciation of—if not necessarily his interest in—art. And he'd patiently watch Wolfram try to sketch the sprawling cityscape in the sketchbook Shori had bought for him, giving suggestions now and then in his calm and brotherly sort of way. The memory brought a soft and somewhat wistful expression to his face. He'd even managed to sketch a picture Yuuri said was good on one of those excursions, and he always _knew_ when Yuuri was lying about his art—which was almost all the time.

"Not that many years have passed here," Yuuri reminded him.

"That's true." Tugging his jacket closer about himself, Wolfram turned to look up at Yuuri. "Do you remember that restaurant we went to? The day we went to watch that movie."

The Maoh grinned. "Of course I remember. How could I forget?"

"I always think the city's more beautiful at night," Akai told the two boys who were right up near the railing that lined the edge of the roof. "And in a few nights, there's going to be a fireworks show. I bet that'll be something you don't get to see the likes of back in your world."

"Fire-works?" Cory repeated, baffled. "What are fire-works?"

Akai opened his mouth to explain then shut it again and scratched the back of his head. "Uh, good question. I guess you could say that they're... things that explode when they get up into the sky and make a lot of colorful sparks..."

.

Yuuri and Wolfram left the boys on the roof discussing fireworks excitedly with "Uncle Akai" and retired indoors to the room where they were going to be staying. It was such a pleasant change of pace, not having to worry about the responsibilities and dangers that came with their positions as a kingdom's royal couple. And being on Earth meant that nobody was going to suddenly come bother them with political issues or castle emergencies.

"I'm glad they're having fun," Yuuri sighed, closing the door behind them and wrapping his arms around his consort, burying his nose in his soft, golden locks. He loved the smell of the shampoo Wolfram used. It reminded him a little of roses. "It reminds me of the first time we were on Earth. Everything was so new and strange and amazing."

"I suppose we had fun then too," Wolfram conceded after some thought, "after we found each other anyway."

Before that, it had been a miserable and confusing adventure.

Turning around in Yuuri's embrace, Wolfram leaned up to kiss him. Yuuri smiled faintly, one hand moving into his angel's silky hair so he could tilt his head further and deepen the kiss, the gesture easy and familiar after so many years. Wolfram closed his eyes, sliding his arms up around his king's neck.

Finally, Yuuri reluctantly pulled away. "Let's move this to the bedroom, shall we?"

Wolfram started to laugh, but it turned into a squeak when Yuuri abruptly scooped him up into a bridal carry and headed for the door at the far end of the suite. "Yuuri! Did you lock the door?"

"Maybe, maybe not. Deal with it later."

"On your head be it if someone walks in on us."

"Hey, there's always the lock on the bedroom door." Yuuri's grin turned feral. "And anyways, it's not exactly a secret here that we're married. I'm allowed to make love to my consort if I want to. And the boys have heard you screaming for me before. You remember when Greta explained to them that I wasn't hurting you."

"Don't say things like that out loud! And Greta told them it was a game."

"Well, I certainly didn't think she was going to explain to them the truth at their age. Stop worrying. We're on vacation. I'm sure Akai will keep them busy. He's not an idiot."

Wolfram opened his mouth then shut it again with a shake of his head as Yuuri set him down on the bed. "I think you're spending way too much time being a politician."

The kind of politician that got what he wanted no matter what and had a reply to everything.

"It comes with the job."

"I know."

The blond Mazoku smiled and reached up to tangle his fingers in his king's dark, dark hair.

"I want a daughter," he informed him, tugging the double black down onto the bed with him. Wolfram said it like it was somehow Yuuri's responsibility to make sure it happened, which it kind of _was_—but it also kind of wasn't.

"I thought I told you already that we only got twins last time when you wanted them because we were lucky," Yuuri reminded him, murmuring the words into the pale skin at his collarbone. "Even Shinou doesn't have that kind of power."

"I know. But maybe we'll be lucky again."

Yuuri detected a hint of sadness under his words and settled on making a sound of agreement before moving up to capture his angel's lips, whisking his mind away from more unpleasant thoughts. He knew what Wolfram had probably been thinking about. They had both been rather reluctant to see Greta go. He could still remember the day they'd first met her fiancé way back before she'd officially taken the throne of Rawsha...

.

Dark eyes stared at the letter in his hands. "What does she mean she's bringing her fiancé?"

Running the comb through his hair a few times and giving himself one last glance in the mirror, Wolfram walked over to the bed where his king was sitting and sat down beside him, peering over the piece of parchment which had arrived in an envelope just that morning signed by their foster daughter. "Well, obviously, it means that she's bringing her future husband."

Yuuri frowned in dismay. "She never mentioned being interested in anyone before."

"Yes, she did," Wolfram corrected him. "You just don't like to listen when she brings it up."

"I listen! It's just—well, we've never even met this man before. How do we know he'll be good to her?"

Wolfram leaned against him, resting his head against Yuuri's shoulder. "We'll just have to make sure of it. The letter does say that she's bringing him for a visit. If we really disapprove, we'll just let her know."

Which was true and the reasonable way to go about things, but a notion that nonetheless took some getting used to. Luckily, they'd had a week between the arrival of that letter and the arrival of their foster daughter to do just that.

When the carriage that had been sent to retrieve Greta and her potential significant other from the border finally arrived a week after her letter, it was to the sharp gazes of an intent and scrutinizing royal consort and a Maoh wearing a diplomatic smile that gave nothing away.

Eylis had heard many stories about Shin Makoku's royal couple, many of them from his fiancé, but just as many from other, possibly less reliable sources. He'd heard that the Maoh was a pacifist, and that he greatly opposed violence unless absolutely necessary. He'd done many things in order to bring peace—not only to Shin Makoku, but many of its neighbors as well. But don't do or say anything foolish, Greta had warned him quite sternly. Yuuri might be kind hearted, but he was also the demon king, and he had a reputation for being one of the most powerful demons in history.

Standing before them right at this moment in the courtyard of Blood Pledge Castle, however, Eylis couldn't help feeling that the shorter of the two with his glaringly intent, emerald stare was the more intimidating. He had to admit that the blond demon was every bit as beautiful as people claimed he was, but people also said he had a fiery temper that could be rather volatile. He couldn't help feeling like he was being judged the longer the blonde looked at him, and he wasn't sure what the outcome would be.

"Your Majesties," he greeted them hurriedly, bowing deeply to both Mazoku. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you. Greta's told me so much about you, and I look forward to learning more about your amazing kingdom. We both fully intend to uphold the alliance that her sister created with Shin Makoku."

It turned out that Eylis and Greta had met at Rakell's coronation anniversary celebration. Rakell herself hadn't actually wanted to throw a party, but her people had insisted. After all, the return of their princess had marked a era of great change for them, and a great change for the better. He'd heard that the younger princess had been raised by Mazoku and had approached her out of curiosity, since he had a trace of Mazoku blood himself from several generations back in his family tree.

Just giving Eylis the grand tour of the castle took until late afternoon, and they rounded off the evening with a leisurely stroll through the vast gardens before retiring indoors for dinner.

"Your are from a merchant family?" Yuuri asked, taking his seat at the head of the long table. He'd tried time and time again to get some smaller tables in the formal dining hall, but this was one thing about the castle he hadn't been able to change yet. Besides, ridiculous as it was for small parties, the double black had to admit that these long tables had their uses during formal banquets and celebratory parties.

"I am," Eylis confirmed, sitting down next to Greta, who had dropped into the chair to the Maoh's left. "My father is a merchant, and his parents before him as well, although my great grandparents were craftsmen."

"He's already started helping with our economic policies," Greta chimed in. "He has some really great ideas and has been of great help."

"And what did you do before that?" Wolfram asked, "I don't know much about education in Rawsha."

Frankly, he'd never been interested before, but this was a family matter. He always had energy for family matters.

"Well," Eylis started slowly, perhaps unsure if there could be a wrong answer to such a question, "I was mostly homeschooled early on. Public schools are a relatively recent development in Rawsha, at least for people like me, and then I attended college in the capital..."

This sort of mixture between casual conversation and subtle interrogation went on until dessert arrived. By that point, both the Maoh and his consort had to agree silently that Greta seemed to have found herself a reasonably smart and decent young man. His family hadn't come from nobility, but then neither had Yuuri's. There were far more important aspects to a person than his bloodline—like his character, for instance, and his dreams. Mostly, Wolfram studied the man's eyes as he spoke, watched the way they shone when he talked about their foster daughter, and he decided that maybe the man was just kind enough, just passionate enough, and just devoted enough for Wolfram to give his approval. Hopefully, Yuuri would come to the same conclusion.

Wolfram left shortly after to put the twins to bed, taking Greta with him to visit her foster siblings. Yuuri and Eylis listened to their voices moving farther and farther away until silence descended between them. Eylis fidgeted nervously, suddenly keenly aware that he was seated at a table with the demon king. He couldn't think of anything to say. Finally, the Maoh broke the stillness.

"You'll take care of her."

It sounded more like an order than a question and Eylis gulped. He wondered why he'd ever thought that the Maoh was less scary than his consort. Those dark, piercing eyes seemed to bore right into his soul. The double black didn't tack on an "or else" but he didn't have to.

"Of—of course."

"Good." Abruptly all smiles, Yuuri stood up. "I suggest we all retire for the evening then. We've got an outing to the countryside planned for tomorrow and I'm sure we'll want to be well rested. A servant will show you to your room. I shall see you and Greta at breakfast."

.

...Greta had her own children now. In fact, she even had her own grandchildren. Yuuri and Wolfram visited when they could, and tried not to think about the growing generational gap too much.

The Maoh took a certain pleasure in the half mewl, half gasp that fell from Wolfram's lips as he pressed into his angel's warm, pliant body. Quite frankly, Yuuri was surprised that they hadn't had any more children with how active they were in their love life even after so many decades of being together. Then again, Mazoku simply didn't conceive easily. It was one of the major reasons why the Mazoku population had declined so much over the centuries, plus the wars that had wracked their lands before. And Wolfram's ability to bear children had come as a magical gift, and no one seemed to know how that factored into everything, not even the one who had given the gift to begin with.

In any case, Yuuri certainly wasn't complaining about trying.

.

Three pairs of green eyes looked from the food Shori had just passed out to them to the adorable, fluffy, four-legged creature seated a little ways away at another park visitor's feet.

"You said these are called hot dogs?" Wolfram repeated, sounding more than a bit disturbed.

Following the direction of their dismayed stares, Shori snorted. No wonder the three looked so horrified. "Oh no, don't worry. It's not made from dog. Although there are people who eat dogs, it's not a popular thing to do in most places."

Wolfram and the twins breathed their own sighs of relief before continuing on to try the food. They had arrived at the amusement park a short while ago and Shori had volunteered to buy lunch for everyone while Yuuri had been dispatched to look for a map and check the performance schedules. Wolfram vividly remembered the last time he'd been at an Earth amusement park, and he had to admit that even now, he found the idea of it somewhat hard to wrap his mind around. Every time he heard the people screaming as the coasters zoomed past above, he wondered just how crazy Earth people had to be to subject themselves to such trauma—and take such delight from it. Still, the twins seemed to be having the time of their lives, and that was reason enough for Wolfram to come again in the future.

Just as long as he didn't have to actually go on any of the rides himself. But then his husband and his brother in law could accompany the kids on those.

"Looks like we've got a busy day ahead of us," Yuuri announced, brochures in hand as he arrived at their table. Claiming the empty chair next to Wolfram, he unfolded the brochure and surveyed its contents once more. "So where would you boys like to start? There's going to be a bird show in half an hour at an open-air theatre pretty close to here, or we can start with the rides. Looks like there are also a lot of carnival games just a short walk away."

"Carnival games?" Cory asked curiously.

"You know that giant stuffed teddy bear your uncle Gwendal has?" Yuuri asked. "Your mother won that at a school carnival our first time on Earth. A lot of carnival games give you prizes if you can beat them."

"Prizes?" The two boys exchanged excited looks. If there was one thing they both enjoyed, it was a good game with a prize at the end. And they'd always loved that giant teddy bear.

By the time they returned to the organization headquarters, the twins had accumulated enough stuffed animals to make the drive somewhat uncomfortable—plus a couple of tiny fish that Yuuri had caught for them. Trying to catch those tiny fish with paper nets was really far too difficult without the help of Maryoku, the twins had decided after their fifteenth net had broken, and their father had finally given in to their pleas for help. Yuuri eyed the mass of prizes, wondering just how he was going to transport it all safely back home with them when their vacation was over.

"Don't worry about it," Wolfram mumbled, his head tucked under Yuuri's chin. The twins had fallen asleep amidst the stuffed animals in the back row. "We're not letting them bring all those back. Most of them aren't even good looking."

"You don't think they'd be too disappointed?"

The blonde sniffed. "They had enough fun getting them, and they can keep their favorites. It's not like they're going to play with them all once we get home. Besides, they've already got far too many of Big Brother's knitted toys."

"I guess that's true. I wonder if this is what it's like to be a normal family."

"I'm not sure you two could ever be a normal family," Shori observed from the driver's seat, glancing at their reflection in the rearview mirror. "But I suppose it's pretty close, as far as normal, Earth families go."

"Hmmm." Yuuri wrapped one arm around his consort, rubbing his back absently as he watched the scenery go by outside. Then he smirked and turned to catch his brother's gaze in the mirror, "So, Shori, Mom demanded that I ask you if you've been seeing anyone."

Shori winced. "She's still going on about that?"

"You should just be grateful that Wolf and I were able to give her grandchildren, or else she'd really be on your case."

"I am eternally grateful. And you can just pass along the message that no, I'm still not dating anyone."

"Actually, I would suggest that you tell her you're thinking about it," Yuuri advised. "She's been asking Wolfram about persuading me to send her over here so she can help you. IF you don't want her "help", I'd suggest you work hard at making some progress on your own."

Shori's expression turned horrified at even the suggestion of their mother coming to Earth to take charge of his love life. "Shinou help me. That would be just like her, I suppose. Find then, tell her that I'll start looking. Who knows? I guess it's remotely possible that I'll meet someone at the New Year's party. Oh, did I mention that Kivan and his entourage are coming here for the New Year's party?"

"No, I believe you left that part out." Yuuri sighed and grumbled, "Damn, I hate going to parties with important people."

"Don't forget that you happen to be one of those important people."

"Yes, I know. And that's the biggest annoyance right there."

"Well, he is still Earth's Maoh. It would be rude of him not to greet the visiting Maoh and his family."

"I suppose." The younger double black's resigned look softened as he drew his now-dozing angel closer to him. "Guess it's a good thing that Wolf insisted that we bring at least one set of formal clothes."

"Guess so."

When they finally drew into the parking lot, Yuuri woke Wolfram and the twins, and the five of them divided up the day's rewards to be carried back to their rooms. Then Shori bid them all goodnight and Yuuri left to place calls to both Akai and Akami while Wolfram helped the twins prepare for bed.

As Wolfram moved to tuck his sons under the covers, he spotted a book on the nightstand that hadn't been there the night before. He picked it up and turned it over. "What's this?"

"Uncle Akai said that Aunt Akami said to give it to us," Mikale explained. "He says all the stories in them are Earth fairytales. He told us a few of them too—like this one where a nice girl has to do all this work for her mean stepmother, but ends up marrying a prince and living happily ever after."

Wolfram raised his eyebrows. "Happily ever after?"

Mikale nodded solemnly. "Apparently, they don't all end like that, but we like the ones that do. If stories have to have endings, I definitely prefer happy ones."

The corners of Wolfram's mouth twitched upward in amusement. Maybe it wasn't all that realistic, but he would too.

"Can you read one to us?"

Cory looked up at his mother, green eyes pleading, and Wolfram was suddenly reminded of himself when he'd been just a child, looking imploringly up at Lady Celi and asking her to read the storybook to him because Little Big Brother wasn't home to do it. She'd always been too busy though, and he'd end up stumbling through the pages on his own, determined not to complain but feeling quite abandoned nonetheless.

Shoving the memories away, Wolfram moved to sit on the bed between them. Rifling through the pages of the book and glancing through the pictures, he surmised that most of the stories were about princesses and princes, warriors and witches and simple maidens dreaming of faraway things. And again, he remembered that night just shortly before he'd met Yuuri at that party when his mother had tucked him into bed and told him that he'd marry a prince one day. A slight smile made its way onto Wolfram's face at that; a prince, she'd said, who would sweep him off his feet and be with him for the rest of his life. Then he'd met Yuuri. And even though it had taken some time for the double black to get around to the "sweeping Wolfram off his feet" part, the blond Mazoku had been content to wait because he hadn't been lonely anymore.

"_It'll be your own little fairytale,"_ his mother had said.

Shaking his head, Wolfram flipped back to the first story in the book and settled back against the headboard. Happily ever after, was it? Well, he could certainly live with that.

"When's Daddy going to be back?" Cory asked, snuggling close to Wolfram's side and pulling his blanket up with him.

"He's just making final arrangements for tomorrow. Akami and Akai wanted all of us to go to the beach together. He'll be back when he's done. Now, if you want me to read you a story, you're going to have to be quiet."

Cory clamped his mouth shut quickly, wide-eyed. On Wolfram's other side, Mikale wrapped his own blanket about his shoulders and waited patiently, his intent watchfulness reminding Wolfram of Yuuri when the Maoh was in deep thought.

His smile widened and Wolfram cleared his throat, returning his attention to the words on the page before him. "Once upon a time..."

In a few more days, they would have to return home to Shin Makoku and their many duties and responsibilities. And maybe it was a bit too early to be thinking about "ever after". But as he finished the story and set the book on the nightstand after the twins had fallen asleep, and Yuuri met him at the door with an amused murmur in response to his angel's stifled yawn, Wolfram could say with absolute truth that yes, he was happy.

.

_Once upon a time, there was a little angel with hair like woven gold and sunshine. He was very beautiful, but also very lonely, for everyone in his family was very important and had little time for him. Until one day, he met a young prince with hair and eyes the color of darkest night, and he laughed with him and made the angel smile. The angel was happy, and the prince fell in love with that smile, although he did not yet really know what it meant to love. _

_They played together almost everyday after that. The angel devoted himself to helping his prince become a great king, and the prince dedicated himself to creating a kingdom where he thought both of them could live in peace. And as they grew older, they both secretly promised themselves that someday, they would marry... _

* * *

><p><strong>END <strong>

* * *

><p><strong>AN<strong>: I'm a bit amazed at how long this story got. I originally intended it to be much shorter. In any case, I really enjoyed writing it, and I hope you all enjoyed reading it.

To those of you who made suggestions for this story, thank you. I will take them into consideration if I write any other stories on this world. A lot of people have asked for a sequel. I'd love to write one and I have some ideas, but I'm currently really busy so I'm not sure how long it will take me to get around to it.

I was a little shocked when I actually met a man called Gwendal at a Christmas party. I didn't know that was a name people actually had these days.

Anyways, I hope you all have a great week:)

.


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